American Sweetheart
by Around Here Somewhere
Summary: The next installment of American Prince Series. Olivia, Fitz, Tommy, Cam, and Bella are happy with their family. Bella's nicely settled in as a happy, healthy three year old. The boys are seniors in high school. But what happens when something throws a wrench in their family?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Scandal **Surprise**

A/N: Hey guys – what can I say? I missed these guys. So, as I was writing this I got some sad news from a friend – Da Prince & Me's so, this will hopefully be a small comfort to her, as well. Enjoy :)

American Sweetheart

Chapter One:

"So - " Fitz broke off as he walked into the living room where Tommy and Cam were watching TV. Bella was sitting on the floor, not paying attention to anything but her dolls – and the boys were lucky, "Guys, don't watch this crap with your sister is in the room, please."

"She's not paying any attention," Cam protested as Tommy flipped the channel to something a little more appropriate.

"You don't know what she's absorbing," Fitz replied, as Tommy set the remote back down on the couch, "She has a seven-thirty bedtime. You guys can watch whatever you want, after she's asleep."

"Ok," Tommy said as Bella got up and walked over to Fitz.

"Hey, Sweetheart," Fitz smiled as he picked her up, "I was just coming in to see who wanted to come with me to pick mom up at the airport."

"ME!" Bella squealed, and Fitz chuckled as he leaned in and kissed her head.

"I thought you might. Boys?"

"I'll go," Tommy got up from the couch and reached for Bella, taking her from Fitz, "What else do I have to do?"

"Cam?" Fitz asked hopefully, "Your mom might like to see the whole family…"

"Yeah, I guess I'll come," Cam wheeled himself over and then they were off.

Being a parent was hard, and being about to juggle such an age difference with children didn't really help. He had been on his own with them since Olivia had left with Denise in July to go on a research trip, and he wasn't sure he had ever learned so much in such a quick schedule of time. The basics of balancing two eighteen year old boys, and a three year old without two parents, one to spend time with the boys who would be leaving for college in a year, and the three year old was simple. Or, about as easy as his life had been in two years, since they had adopted Bella. On his own it was more complicated, and much more hectic. It became a routine to get Bella to dance class, stop by the warehouse to check on Tommy, and still make it to Cam's summer league basketball games without it being a waste of time even showing up. Because he did, after all, have to go and pick Bella up from dance class.

However, when he was watching them all climb into the back of the car, Tommy carrying Bella. Then the two of them very carefully strapped their little sister into her car seat so that she would be safe, similar to how Tommy hovered over her about as much as he could. Fitz smiled as he fixed the rearview mirror, and waited for Cam to finish buckling himself in. Then, he started the car and headed down the street, not bothering to put the radio on, because Bella was demanding that her brothers read to her on the way. Princess Bella, she'd only have a few more hours of it before her mother got back. Bella had a strange pull on the men of the family, he was fairly certain none of the three of them could ever turn her down. But Olivia was always sure to try and balance things out.

"Make sure Bella doesn't wander," Fitz said as they piled out of the car, and Cameron nodded.

"I've got her," He said, reaching down and pulling her up into his lap, "She's not going anywhere, don't worry, Dad."

"Good," Fitz said as he held the door for 'the troops' to go through.

He looked down at his phone, and saw that Olivia had texted him a little while ago saying she had landed. He smiled a little to himself, choosing not to reply, as he corralled the kids over to the corner near baggage claim to wait for her. Tommy sat down and Bella switched laps, but Tommy wasn't about to let her wander off. So Fitz stood, his eyes fixed on the top of the elevator, where his first glimpse of Olivia would be. He had picked her up from these things too many times, but this was the first one since they adopted Bella. Olivia was far too nervous to leave befoy re she turned three. Fitz still wasn't sure why that was the case – but he definitely wasn't going to fight her about it.

Especially now, because other than the fact that he missed her – he was a little bit nervous. Bella had been on the covers of magazines since the adoption papers had surfaced by some big-shot dumpster-diver. Since then, they had tried to no avail to keep her – like they had the boys – out of it. However, they weren't about to stunt her childhood trying to keep her safe from them. They would take their picture and go, usually. However, they had been doing pretty well before she left, a few months with nothing. Then, he walked into the grocery store to find all three of the kids had made the cover. Tommy pushing Cam and Bella in the chair. The boys were a little out of focus, and Bella was right on the cover. He had decided not to tell her until she got back.

"Chill, dad," Cam teased him, "It's not like you haven't been married to her for twenty years."

"Twenty-two," Fitz corrected him, "And that's only because for the first four years she was still in school. – And I miss her. She's been gone a month, and she's getting home just in time for all you clowns going back to school tomorrow."

"Bella doesn't go to school yet," Tommy pointed out, and Fitz nodded.

"She's going next year," Fitz replied, "We're going to have an empty nest for like four hours three days a week."

"Unless Cam decides he doesn't want to go to college," Tommy teased, and Fitz shook his head.

Just as he did, he couldn't help but jerk his head up as he watched the most beautiful woman he had ever seen appear at the top of the escalator. She glowed, she was like some sort of dream that he never had to wake up from. She spotted him – them – almost immediately, smiling and waving at them as Denise waved, too. He turned around to see the end of Tommy and Jonah's handshake – he wasn't sure when he had shown up. He felt Bella clawing at his leg, and he looked down.

"I can't see her," Bella complained, and Fitz lifted her up and held her on his side.

"Gotcha, kiddo," He replied, kissing the top of her head as Olivia hit the bottom of the escalator.

"My babies," Olivia smiled as she walked over, taking Bella without a moment's thought, and throwing the free arm she had around Fitz.

"Mmm," Fitz kissed the top of her head, "I missed you."

He hadn't even realized how much he missed her until he had her there in his arm. Fitz was even about to pick her and Bella up and carry them home. He wanted to get her alone, though. Put Bella to bed, tell the boys they should go to bed – and go to bed himself. Just bring Olivia into bed, and hold her, instead of the pillow he had pitifully been using as a cuddle substitute. But that idea was ripped from him as Tommy and Cam came over to join the party. Luckily, Olivia had already seen the magazine. Once they got home, it was declared that they were all going to play a round of cards before Bella went to bed. Normally, Fitz loved hanging out with the whole family. Especially since they were keenly aware of how limited their time all together was going to be. But he wanted his wife. And he wasn't sure what was wrong with him, but he couldn't stop watching her. It seemed like hours before he was pulling the covers down on the bed, and laid down to wait for her.

"Look at you," Olivia smiled as she walked out of the bathroom.

"You missed me, too," He smirked, and she made a face.

"Mmm, I love you," She said, laying herself down next to him, he pulled her in tight – God, he loved how she felt in his arms, "Of course I missed you."

He leaned in and kissed her – the first real kiss that he could manage to slip in. It was almost better than he had been dreaming and imagining for the past month. She moaned slightly into his mouth as his hands slipped down her sides. She clung to him as his hands raced around her back.

"Babe," She whispered as their mouths broke apart, "I want to jump you so bad – but."

"You're exhausted," He filled in, it was always the case when she got back.

"You're good."

"Go to sleep, Livy," He replied, kissing her again quickly, "We can pick this up tomorrow night."

"Or tomorrow?" Olivia asked, kissing the center of his bare chest.

"Absolutely," He said, "Are we playing hookie? Because if so, I should just email a few people…"

"Not total hookie," She yawed as she nuzzled the side of her face into his shoulder, and he scooted down so his head was on the pillow, "But maybe come home early?"

"Awe," He whispered into her ear as he pulled up the covers around them, "Play hookie with me, Livy. Cam's got practice til four, Tommy never gets back til four-thirty, five. Your mom's got Bella until four…"

"I have to go in for a little while, babe," She said, "And I checked, Cam's got a pre-season game tomorrow evening."

"All the better," He replied, kissing the edge of her ear.

"I have to go in," She replied, "I'll drop Bella, and you can stay here in bed. Then, I will come back and crawl in with you. It'll almost be like we're really playing hookie. I have meet with Denise at three, though."

"We have to soon," He said, and she nodded as he reached to shut off the light, "I would steal you away on vacation, but Bella might murder me in my sleep. She missed you, too."

"Mmm," Olivia replied, now only half asleep, "I love you so much, baby."

He couldn't sleep. He was too excited to have Olivia back, and he could smell her hair. He pressed his nose into it, to try and calm him down. Sighing as he put his hand up on her back, between her shoulder blades so he could feel the breath going in and out of her. Soothing him the way that she said hearing his heartbeat lulled her right off. Fitz kissed the top of her head, then looked up at the ceiling waiting to fall asleep. He was hoping his lack of sleep was in direct correlation to the fact that she had been absent, and now that she would be back.

Olivia had just fallen asleep, he could tell by her breathing. There was also the fact that when she was asleep was the only time that she was this relaxed. The way that she held herself, a mother of three, owner of her own business, and – she had a lot on her plate. Anyway, she had just fallen asleep when the door creaked open, and Fitz whipped to see Bella running in.

"Momma, mum, mum," She called, with no regard to the fact that her mom was exhausted.

"Bella," Fitz whispered, shifted slightly under Olivia, "Calm down, sweetheart."

"Mmm?" Olivia barely woke up, and slipped away from him towards their daughter.

"Mommy, Daddy, I had a nightmare," Bella said, clearly terrified, and so douzily that Fitz wasn't even sure if she was really awake, "Can I sleep in here? Please?"

"You have a big girl bed," Fitz tried, though he wasn't sure what the point was as she pouted, her lower lip quivering, "Alright. Just tonight."

"Come here, sweetie," Olivia scooped her up and held her, so now Fitz was holding on loosely to Olivia, as she held onto Bella, "Don't worry, Bells. Your daddy and I would never let anything happen to you."

"No one touches my girls," He gave his low impression of a cartoon tiger, and Bella giggled a little, before falling asleep.

He woke up in the middle of the night, and carried Bella back to her bed. It was important for her to at least wake up in her own room, so that she knew it was a safe place. At least that was what the parent books said. He curled back up around Olivia in bed, and kissed he side of her neck. That was about the last thing he remembered before he conked out for good. However, he couldn't imagine it was very long before he was being woken up at five by Olivia leaving. Well, as per routine she was waking him up before she left – neither of them liked waking up alone without warning.

"Livy," He smiled, peaking through his eyelids up at her as she kissed a line from his ear to his hip.

"You're going to hate me."

"I love you, I could never _really_ hate you," He replied, his eyes closing again because now she was running her hand in circles on his chest.

"We can't play hookie today," She said, and he groaned, "I'm sorry – I forgot we were going down to help an aquarium a little ways away. Then I have an appointment. I'm going to be back just in time to meet you at Cam's game. But, I promise. Tonight will be all us."

"You didn't miss me at all," Fitz said sleepily, realizing what he said almost immediately, and sitting up – she looked upset, "I'm sorry – it's early. I didn't –"

"It's ok," She said, looking at her watch – which was when he realized that she was already dressed - before leaning in and kissing him, passionately, "Babe, I love you. I love you more than just about everything in the world – except for those three beautiful kids that are hopefully still sleeping down the hall. I have missed every single bit of you. And you better be ready for me tonight."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Babe, I think you seriously underestimate how fantastic you looked last night," She said, kissing him again, "I just have shit to do today, and that really sucks. Maybe we should go away. Take Bells and take her to Disney or something."

"We were going to take the boys too," Fitz said, groggily, "When they graduate in June."

"Right, maybe we should push that up," She said, and Fitz chuckled, "Don't get up – you don't have to be up yet. I'll take Bella to my parents."

"Ok," Fitz said, falling backwards back to his pillow and falling back to sleep instantly.

Work that day was hell, as Fitz mumbled through contracts and fishing regulations that had changed at the end of the summer. With the work load as it was, he had to make his way to the docks to check on the local boats. Everyone else from the office had already been sent out to the other docks that they used in other states. So, he was there looking at the boats for a while before he called it quits for the day, and went to pick up Bella.

"Where's Tommy?" She asked as Fitz made sure that she was all strapped into the backseat of his car.

"We're gonna go pick him up and go to Cam's game," Fitz said, as he headed out to Tommy's warehouse.

"Where's Mom?"

"She's going to meet us there."

Fitz pulled up outside the warehouse, which after two years of Tommy's artwork, was almost done. The idea was for him to cover every inch of it from top to bottom, and he only had a few rooms left. The artwork was all fairly tasteful, and nothing Bella couldn't see, if anything it was more abstract than most of it.

"Tommy?!" Fitz called, hand firm around Bella's, "Tom!"

"Up on the top," He called back, and Fitz carried Bella up the stairs to get up there faster.

"This place is coming along nice," Fitz said as he walked into one of the last rooms that he was doing.

"It is," Tommy said, removing his mask, and going over to open the window more, "Here ya go – kid."

He put his mask onto Bella to make sure she was good.

"She's fine, it's not too bad," Fitz said as Tommy took her.

"Time for the game?" Tommy asked, and Fitz nodded, as they headed down to the door, "I was asking my guidance counselor if I could use it as my senior project. He wants to see it. You think we could get all the windows replaced?"

"I think that would be a great idea," Fitz said, and Tommy nodded, "We should figure out what we want to do with it. It'd be a shame just to leave it abandoned again."

Cam's high school wasn't that far from the warehouse, and they – thankfully – got there in enough time for Bella to run around with her brother for a while. Tommy took a seat in the stands, and a few kids that remembered him from when he used to go there went up and sat with him to chat for a while. He wondered slightly how he and Becca were doing so close to graduating, and possibly being separated for the first time in almost three years. He was thinking all this as he stood in the doorway to the gym, waiting for Liv.

"Hey there, sexy," He heard Olivia barely say as she wrapped her arms around him from behind.

"Oh, look at you," Fitz replied as he flipped around and saw her big smile, "Why so happy?"

"Well, I am married to the cutest dad here," She said, as the stands were filling up behind them, "Even if you are a little old."

"I'm going to overlook that comment…"

"Kids all in there?" She asked, she seemed bouncy? There was something weird with her – he knew it.

"Yeah, they're all there…"


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hello, friends. I'm so happy that you guys are excited about this too! And yes, a warning that I am taking advantage of that M rating in the beginning of this chapter. Also, without giving away too too much, I just want to say just about every member of the family has at least one wrench to come to terms with/deal with. Off we go, enjoy!

American Sweetheart

Chapter Two:

"I want mommy to read me to sleep!" Bella whined as they walked into the house after Cam's game.

"Mommy was going to go take a shower," Olivia told her, giving Fitz's hand a little squeeze as they crossed into the house together, "Can Daddy read to you tonight?"

"Daddy read her to bed for a month," Fitz said quietly, just so that she could hear it, "She missed her mom."

"I don't want Daddy," Bella said, and Fitz pouted – he knew what she meant, but he still made a face.

"You don't want me?" He asked her, and she shook her head.

"No," She said, trying to separate their hands, "C'mon Mommy."

Olivia had a minute to look back at Fitz who just sort of shrugged unhelpfully as she was dragged off up the stairs. There were a lot of things that hadn't changed since she had left. Like the amount of Gatorades that needed to be stocked in the fridge for the boys, and which specific colors that they needed. Well, pretty much everything with the boys was status quo. It was her little girl who had changed the most, like her favorite book that she wanted someone to read to her every night. And what kind of juice she wanted packed for the next day's car trips with Daddy. It used to be apple, now apparently anything but cranberry was a fate worse than death, which resulted in kicking and screaming. Also, she had switched which Barbie she needed to be carrying around with her at all times. Things changed. Not everything though, because as per usual, Bella was asleep within the first few pages. She smiled, kissed her forehead, tucked her in, and made her way out of the room.

"Babe," She said, walking into her own bedroom a few minutes later.

She had taken a detour to listen at the stairwell to make sure Cam and Tommy weren't fighting over what to watch before bed. When there was no answer from Fitz, she looked over at the bed, he had nodded off while he was waiting for her, or at least that was what appeared to have happened. His head was back against the headboard, his head lolled to the side. He was all ready for her – in just his boxers with a pillow under his elbow, keeping his head up. His - admittedly duller shade of caramel – curls had fallen a little in his face, he needed his hair cut. She assumed he hadn't had time while he was pulling single daddy duty – but knowing that little fact just made him cuter. Cam and Tommy had sent her a couple of pictures that had been a good laugh – poor guy.

"Babe," She said in almost a whisper as she pulled her shirt off over her head, and stepped out of her shorts as she walked towards the bed, "Babe? You're cute when you sleep…"

She kneeled down on the bed, and that adorable little smirk of his spread across the side of his face. Olivia leaned in and ran her hand through the side of his hair as she kissed the side of his face, almost to his ear. Not only had he apparently not had time to get his hair cut, he was a little scruffy as well. It took her back to right before the boys, and they were pretty much living on the beach. She'd liked her jungle-man, and she smiled as she pulled away.

"Baby," She said, sitting up on her knees, "You should open your eyes."

"Mm," He mumbled a little as she took his hand, and put it on her thigh – his eyes opened quick, "You have my attention. Bella's out?"

"Out cold," She replied, as Fitz's hand ran circles around her skin.

"God, you're beautiful," Fitz sat up as he ran his hand up her side and cupped her cheek as he kissed her softly, "Just give me a minute to wake up a little?"

"Should I throw on a robe? Go get you some coffee?" She teased him as he pressed his forehead into the top half of her sternum, and she ran her fingers through his hair affectionately, "Huh? Old Man? What're you? Almost fifty now?"

"Three years," He said, "And you like it, don't lie."

"I like what?" She asked as he reached across and pulled her down into his arms, "My gorgeous, sexy, curly haired pretty boy?"

"Mmm, Mia Vita," He pressed his nose into her cheek as her arm went across his hip, her hand grabbing onto his ass.

All these years, and she still loved when his voice dipped low enough for the 'Mia Vita' to come out. She kissed the side of his neck, up by the base of his ear before leaving a somewhat large diameter trail down his shoulder, and across his abs. She shifted herself down as she went down his body, then slipped her hands up his sides only pausing once she got to the elastic of his boxers. She nipped around it for a minute before starting to pull them down with her teeth. As soon as it was obvious, he reached down and pulled her up, back to him.

"Not just yet, Livy," He breathed in her ear as she pressed her face into his shoulder and he unhooked her bra, removing her hands from his ass just long enough to slip it off of her arms.

Olivia had to let her head fall back as Fitz's hands slipped from her shoulders down to her breasts. He was good at that, he had always been good at it, and she couldn't remember the last time that it had been that long between sexual endeavors. Given her state, Fitz took the opportunity to flip them around so that he was hovering over her. She could feel his tongue swirling and tapping at her before he began grazing his teeth down her stomach, and hooking his fingers under the sides of her panties. Slipping them down off of her, barely letting her hit the air before his mouth closed around her clit.

"Ah, baby," She breathed, and he hummed lightly before coming back up for a kiss.

He went to go back down, but she held his face in place so that she could kiss him more. She held onto his shoulders once he got the hint, and then slid her hands down, pulling his boxers until she had both of her hands on his bare ass. She pulled away for air, and he adverted his kisses down the side of her neck as he put his hand between her thighs and pressed his palm against her. His other hand was firmly between her ass and the mattress as he slipped his tongue back into her mouth.

"Fitz," She whispered in his ear as he buried his face into her shoulder.

"Hmmm?" Fitz played innocent.

"Don't tease me too long," She warned him lightly.

"Any other requests?" He asked as she felt him spreading her legs apart for her with his previously very occupied hand.

"Be gentle."

"I can do that," He replied, his lips still pressed to hers, "Mia Vita?"

"Mmm?"

"Tell me you love me?"

It was so quiet and sweet that she could feel her heart melt in her chest.

"I love you, babe," She replied, "More than when we did this the first time."

"Hope so."

He put his hand against her breast, playing with her nipple as she slowly shifted himself up into her. He waited a minute so that her body could adjust, and she could remember how amazing it felt to be in the moment with him, her arm draped over the back of his neck.

"Where's dad?" Cam asked the next morning when he came down to the kitchen for breakfast.

"Saturday's pancake day," Tommy said as he walked in from the living room.

"Well, dad e to get a haircut," Olivia said as she put a bowl of cereal in front of Bella and handed her a spoon, "Cereal, now - both of you."

"I could make some," Tommy offered under his breath as they sat around the table, and Olivia handed them both bowls.

"What's on the docket today?" She asked.

"Hanging out at Pete's," Cam said, milk already dripping down his chin.

"Manners, Cam," Olivia said as she sat down with her own breakfast next to Bella.

"Sorry," He grabbed a paper napkin from the centerpiece and wiped his chin, "I'm at Pete's most of the day. There are scouts coming for our first game – everyone's really pumped. So we're going to make sure we're on our game."

"Did you tell your dad?" Olivia asked.

"I got the text late last night," He said, and Olivia nodded, "That's why I was looking for him. I'm not as partial to my pancakes as Tom."

"Becca's busy til tonight," Tommy replied, "And Jonah had to go back to school the other night. So, I'm free."

Tommy had been a little sulky since Jonah had gone off to college. Though he had been home all summer, so that made things a little bit better for a while.

"You're not painting today?" Olivia asked, and Tommy shook his head

"No."

"I'm going to take Bella to the park, if you want to come."

"Sounds good," He replied as he finished up his first bowl and pouring himself a second.

There was something fun and simple about walking into the park with both Bella and Tommy. Bella, she had expected to be clingy when she got back. It was expected that a three year old would miss her mom while she was away. As much as she had tried to get out of reading to her, she liked the fact that Bella hadn't completely forgotten about her. She couldn't even imagine how she would feel if she had just morphed into a daddy's girl who no longer cared about her mother. And of course Fitz and Bella were as thick as thieves, but it was good to know that she had been missed. Tommy and his loner-self missing her, she hadn't thought about. He was quiet, now that he was over his rebellious phase, and he mostly kept to himself. He was the introverted child, who liked to sit in his room, or do his murals uninterrupted. Cam was extrovert, who needed to be around as many people his own age as possible. Bella, she was too little to really know – but she was the princess, as much as Olivia tried to stop that happening. But her being the only little girl in the family – it was a uphill battle to make sure the boys, and mommy too, didn't spoil her too much.

"How are you?" Olivia asked him as he started the walk around the track that bordered Bella's favorite playground.

"I'm ok," Tommy replied, shrugging.

"Why aren't you hanging out with Mike, or reading, or painting?" Olivia asked, "You don't usually come with us to the playground. So, I just want to make sure you're not depressed, or something. So, 'I'm ok' isn't a good answer."

"I just figure I don't have that much time to spend with Bells," He replied, "She's only three and it's almost like she's not even going to know us when we get back from school. I want to spend time with her while I can. She's my baby sister. I'm gonna miss her."

"You have another year."

"Mm."

"Seriously, Tommy…"

"I don't know," He replied, "I just – what if I don't want to go away to school?"

"There's some pretty good ones right around here," Olivia said, and Tommy shrugged, "You don't want to go to school at all?"

"I don't know," Tommy replied, "It's not exactly all there is, right? Maybe college isn't really for me, ya know?"

"Tommy, you're on track to be valedictorian," Olivia replied, taking a breath, "Is this about Bella? And me? And your Dad? We're going to be ok. You can come home on the weekends, and holidays. It's not going to be a big problem. Bella adores you, you'll be ok."

"Yeah," He agreed lightly as Fitz walked over with a coffee in each hand.

"Nice haircut," Olivia commented as he handed her one of the coffees.

"Thank you," Fitz said, kissing the top of Olivia's head as Bella ran over to him, "Where's Becca? Busy this morning?"

Tommy was about to answer, but Bella had other plans.

"Daddy, push me on the swing."

"Ok," Fitz said, and Tommy laughed as Bella tried to drag Fitz over.

"You're going to have your hands full with her," Tommy chuckled.

"She'll only be eight when you're out," She told him, and he nodded.

"Mmm."

"When's Becca coming tonight?" Olivia asked.

Tommy was like a completely different kid since they switched his school. It was rocky for a minute there, but then came waltzing out a near perfect, model artist child. She couldn't help but think that Becca, a girl he met almost as soon as he started classes, had more than a little bit to do with it. Like father, like son. Fitz's behavior became human, and his grades were always good, but they skyrocketed once they started dating. She liked Becca, too. She never thought that she would like any of the boys' girlfriends, but Becca was cute. She was like the tiny, slightly more thematic version of Tommy. She fit him well, and knew how to keep him in line – more than she even knew.

"Tommy! Tommy!" Bella called, and Tommy's ears perked up as Fitz stopped her swing so she could climb off.

"Yes?" Tommy replied, his tone going comically up so that Bella laughed as she ran to her brother.

"Everything ok?" Fitz asked as he tag teamed Tommy by patting him on the back.

"Yeah," Olivia replied as he led her over to a bench.

"You sure?" He asked, "You look a little green. Did you pick something up while you were away?"

"I hope not," Olivia said, sipping her coffee as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "They told me I was fine yesterday when I went for a return physical."

"Hm, might just be allergies then," He said, kissing the side of her head, "Quick change in environments. You used to get sick for a few days when you got back regardless."

"I was away longer though," She told him, "Maybe it's just lack of sleep."

"I didn't keep you up that long," He dismissed her little tease, "Wow. Did you ever think that Tommy would be this kid? Hanging out with his baby sister at the park on a Saturday morning? Not only is he up at – what is it, ten? – he's a human being. It's fantastic."

"He was always a human being," Olivia chided him, "But you're right, he's cleaned up quite a bit. But you should call your son."

"Hmm?" Fitz asked.

"Cam was looking for you this morning – he's at Peter's – but you should call him."

"They're watching films already?" Fitz asked, knowing that Peter was the coach's kid.

"They're excited," Olivia said, and Fitz nodded – knowing that she wasn't telling him the whole story.

"I guess I'm just going to have to call him, huh?" Fitz said, and Olivia just sipped her coffee, "I'll be right back."

Fitz went off to the side to call Cameron, and Olivia was almost certain that he scared half the children on the playground with his own yelp of joy. And a few minutes later, Bella decided that she was done with the playground – bored, and wanted ice cream. Olivia then explained to her that she needed to have lunch first, and Tommy tried his best to help out. Fitz carried her back to the car, and Olivia swept the playground with her eyes to make sure they weren't leaving anything behind. Olivia made a mental not on the way back that she should have Tommy bring her out to see the warehouse soon, Fitz mentioned that it was almost done.

"Ice cream," Bella reminded everyone as they walked back into the house.

"Lunch first," Olivia told her as she went over to take out a pan to make her a grilled cheese, "After you can have a little bit of ice cream. You want one too, Fitz or you want something else?"

"I can take a grilled cheese to eat with my princesses," He said, going up behind where Bella was sitting at the table and fixing her hair from the playground.

Olivia grabbed the bread from the cabinet, and went to get the cheese from the fridge when she froze. She kept a white erase board calendar on the fridge, and since just the boys were home no one had bothered to redo it. But the fact that it was the month of July really had no hold on her. It was the week long section of x's that were across the bottom of just about the week before the week she left for her trip. And, as she reached her hand out to open up the fridge, she realized that that was the last time she had her period. She hadn't gotten it once while she was away, and she was generally like clockwork.

"Need some help?" Fitz asked her, noticing her pause.

"Yeah," Olivia said, handing him the loaf of bread once he came over to her, letting Cam's game schedule fall back over the calendar, "Just – I need a minute."

"Is everything ok?" He asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

"Yeah," Olivia took a deep breath, "Just make sure Bells gets some lunch."

She tried to stay calm all the way up the stairs and got into her bedroom before she burst into tears. What was happening? She was forty-two, she wasn't supposed to get pregnant, her and Fitz were so careful. Especially after what happened when the boys were born.

"_I'm sorry to tell you this, Mrs. Grant, but it won't be possible for you to have any more children. You're going to have to be careful. Your body isn't strong enough to take on the weight of another child. You could die."_

The words echoed in her head almost as loud, and real, and scary as the day in the hospital room when her and Fitz were holding days old Cam and Tommy in their arms. They were the same words that echoed through the rest of her life, why Fitz had outright refused to even try to have any more biological children. Even though she didn't blame him, he was scared. She was scared, and as much as she wanted them – she didn't. She didn't care where the kids came from, that's why they had adopted Bella. What the hell was she going to do?

"Knock. Knock," Fitz said as he walked into the room, her sandwich on a plate, "I thought I'd bring this up to you – are you crying?"

"I'm fine," She told him, and he set the sandwich on the dresser.

"What's – "

"Nothing's wrong, babe," She said, getting up off the bed – and pushing any thought of it out of her mind, "Let's get back downstairs."

"Ok," Fitz said as he picked the plate back up from her dresser, "Oh, hey. Don't forget to take that."

She looked up just in time for her to see him passing her her birth control pills.

"Thanks," She said, and he nodded.

"I'll see you downstairs," He said, heading out of the room.

She waited until she could hear him on the steps, then threw the pills in the trash.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hello, friends. I just wanted to thank you guys for all the reviews, they really do make my day :) And someone asked, so I just want to clarify: Bella was adopted in the Christmas one a while back. Anyway – Enjoy the chapters, my lovelies, and drop me a note if you feel so inclined.

American Sweetheart

Chapter Three:

Fitz sat at his computer on Sunday, in fantastically empty house. Cam had gone to hang out with his friends, Tommy was hanging out in the backyard but he was reading. Olivia, since she was only going for a few minutes she brought Bella with her to see the animals. So, Fitz had a little time to sit at his computer and get some work done before he was going to cook dinner for the family. Becca was coming for dinner too, and Tommy seemed a little on edge about it. However, the little minute of quiet to work was kind of nice. He has been running around like a chicken with his head cut off with very little time to focus in on it. He had been planning a new overhaul of their boat lines. The ones that were already there would be grandfathered in, but the new ones they were acquiring would be uniform. The decisions and things he had to do to get it all set just took time. Time he didn't have when he was shuffling his children around and making sure he didn't miss too many of Cam's games, got Bella to her dance classes on time, and made sure Tommy was still on track. He was just finishing up his email when his phone rang.

"Hello?" He answered before he looked at the caller ID.

"Hey, babe," Olivia said, and he smiled, "Something came up at work. Can you pick Bella up from dance class?"

"You said when you came back I didn't have to," He pouted as he played with the mouse pad, "You know I hate those stupid dance moms."

"I hate them no less than you," She replied, "But at least they don't look at you like you're the worst parent in the world."

"No, they just look at me like they want to put me on a stick and roast me over a fire while they chant in a circle."

Olivia laughed.

"Give 'em a thrill. I've seen their husbands - accountants, all of them," She teased, "Please?"

"Fine," Fitz said, "Why do you insist on sending me into the lion's den?"

"I wouldn't without a safety net," She replied, "Call me if you need to. Drop my name if you need to, and use Bella as a shield."

"Alright," He said as he stood up and started heading out of the house, "You're lucky I love you so much."

"Or is it the other way around?" She teased him.

"Definitely is," He replied as he swung his keys around his finger, "Ok, I'll see you when you get home."

By the time her hung up, he was already in the driver's seat. She slammed the car door, and he was halfway prepared to deal with the dance moms and their usual ridiculousness. He got out of the car at the plaza of a dance studio downtown and went into tunnel vision. Get in, get Bella, and get out. He got to the top of the stairs, and Bella came running to him. Still in her tutu.

"Hey sweetheart," he kissed the top of her head as he scooped her up, "How was dance?"

"It was fun," She grinned up at him, and he smiled back.

Though, he knew both he and Olivia were praying for the day that she came home and told them she hated it. That she wanted to ride horses, or do painting classes, or gymnastics or something and that she wanted to quit dance. But they weren't going to make her do anything, at least in regards to sports and activities. As long as she was doing something relatively productive, they were fine. He walked over to the desk to win her out as the mothers all looked up at once. He often wondered if they practiced it that way.

"Oh hey, Fitz," The head cheerleader said as Fitz struggled to keep Bella on his hip and sign the little box that said he was taking her.

"Hey, Barb," He said less than enthusiastically as he reached for Bella's bag.

"Daddy we're gonna be tigers," Bella informed him.

"Tigers?" He matched her excitement, "With tails and everything?"

"We haven't quite decided yet," Anna, he thought her name was, piped in.

"We were going to give this to Olivia, but she rushed out of here so quick," Barb said, and Fitz got just enough of a feeling that she meant it as a bad thing on Olivia.

"Awe, Livy's been busy," He said.

"Mommy saves baby seals," Bella chimed in, like perfect clockwork.

"That she does," Fitz said as he adjusted Bella on his hip, and secured the bag on his shoulder, "We have to go though, because Becca's coming and you know what that means."

"I get to shampporone," Bella said happily and Fitz nodded.

"Chaperone," He corrected her, "But it means we have to get home."

The second Fitz set Bella down inside the front door she ran off calling or Tommy. She went running into the living room, and Fitz peeked in to make sure Tommy was sitting on the couch. Tommy wasn't the kind of kid that he had to remind to watch his sister. If it were Cam, then he would have had to announce her presence and make sure that he knew no one else was watching her. That he had to make sure she didn't shove things under the couch, or decide she was going to suffocate herself some equally unique way. Some weird way that only a three year old could pull off.

The kitchen, as he walked into it, was the cleanest that it had been in a very long time. All the difference of having Olivia home. He wasn't entirely sure how she did it all, and he tried desperately to pick up wherever he could, but he knew it was still lopsided. He pulled out the chicken breast from where it was waiting for him at the counter and went to work cooking it only problem was, all he could think about was how upset Olivia had been the day before.

He had let it go most of the day, and didn't ask until they were alone for bed. She was freaked out, he could tell by the way she held herself the rest of the day after lunch. There was something remarkably - sad - about her. He had a plan to try and cheer her up, but it was hard for him to do that when she wouldn't tell him what was wrong. He wasn't exactly sure why, but it was seriously starting to bother him. It wasn't like she wasn't allowed to have her own emotions without telling him - but it was weird. She never got that upset and didn't unload it on him. Never. Which worried him.

"Tommy?" Fitz asked as he walked into the living room, "Dinner's in the oven - mind watching Bells a little longer so I can run an errand?"

"Sure," Tommy said, and Fitz smiled a bit as he realized Bella had roped him into playing Barbies with her, "Becca's gonna be here in a few..."

"It's fine," Fitz said, patting his back pocket to make sure his wallet was there, "I won't be more than twenty minutes - just make sure you stay where Bella can see you. Cam should be home soon, too."

"Ok," Tommy replied and Fitz walked out the door.

First stop was the flower shop, for a bouquet that he could set on her pillow. He took the extra time to have the florist put the little water capsules on the ends so they would be ok for a while on the bed by themselves. Next, he walked next door and got one of her favorite wines to put on the bed with them. The last thing on his list was her favorite froyo from the grocery store. The familiar tub that he would see in the fridge after one of the animals at the marina died, or a favorite one was shipped off to a new facility. If he timed it right, he could meet her just after she discovered the wine and flowers with a big bowl for them to share.

"I'm surprised you didn't run out for that last night," Cam said as he wheeled himself into the kitchen, and Fitz shut the freezer door.

"Probably should have," Fitz mused as he went over to check on the food in the oven.

"So what's up with her?"

"I dunno," Fitz said, "She's just upset, I guess. She doesn't want to tell me yet, so she won't."

"She on her period?" Cam asked nonchalantly as Fitz leaned against the counter, and his eyebrows shot up.

"And with charm like that you're surprised you don't have a girlfriend?" Fitz tore into him a little.

"I wouldn't say that to her."

"It might have been the last thing you ever did," Fitz said, shaking his head at him, "You have to start growing up, Cam. I can't even think about sending you away to school until you do."

"Chill, Dad."

"You don't have any respect," Fitz told him, easing up his tone, "I don't know where I went wrong. I raised you the same as Tommy."

"You didn't - "

"I did, somewhere, apparently."

"Sorry, jeez."

Cam left the room, and Fitz sighed. He was running out of patients with him more rapidly than he could believe. His kid was going to go to college and get his ass kicked by girls. And they weren't going to care if he was in a wheelchair like the guys do. But maybe that was what he needed. A swift beating. Shit. What kinda Dad was he? He reserved the thought that he should try and instill a little more common sense into the kid. Cam had manners, and he had charm - which was dangerous combined with his extraordinary lack of respect.

"When's mom getting home?" Tommy asked nervously as he and Becca walked into the room.

"She should be home soon," Fitz replied, not bothering to check his watch, "You know mom. Dinners almost ready, she'll join in when she gets here."

"Right," Tommy said, and Fitz ducked his head.

"You ok, Tom?" He asked, "You're acting a little weird."

"Fine. I'm fine. I'm always fine," Tommy replied, taking a deep breath, "Beck and I just wanted to talk to you and mom before dinner."

"Both of us?" Fitz asked, and Tommy nodded, "Mom might not be home til late."

"Well, where is she?" Tommy asked.

"Dunno. You can call her if you want," Fitz said.

"You're not worried?" Becca asked suspiciously.

"If something was wrong, or she was hurt - I'd know," Fitz said, "Other than that, she's never not come home."

"Good point," Becca shifted.

"Ok, what the hell's going on?" Fitz asked, "Tommy, you've been acting weird all week. Now this weird talking around something - what's going on?"

"It might be easier," Tommy was bargaining with Becca, "Do one at a time..."

"That's it," Fitz crossed his arms, "Sit down, both of you."

They almost instantly fell into chairs at the table.

"Now tell me what's going on. Or we're just going to sit here and stare at each other for a long time."

"Becca's pregnant."

Tommy just came out with it within a second of Fitz finishing his big scary dad speech. And he piped up with the last thing he was expecting to come out of his mouth. It took Fitz a minute to realize the look on both their faces was worse, because they were reacting to the fact his jaw was wide open. He shut it, and then the brain that had been frozen, started to thaw. He couldn't even form a word, as his brain raced through a long list of things. To begin with, how his son had ended up in this situation. Cam? He would not have been entirely surprised to hear coming home and telling him something like this. But Tommy? He was so responsible, so dependable. Was it _his_ fault? If she was just finding out, then it was while he was home with the kids - right?

"Dad?" Tommy sounded more scared than he had when he had told him flat out.

What did this mean? What was he supposed to do about this? As a parent didn't you always want to at least try to help your kid fix his mistakes? How was he supposed to help with this? Tommy was supposed to leave for college, that was the plan. Both the boys were supposed to go to college, and get good jobs for themselves. It was like he hadn't ever sat them down and talked to them about stuff like this. He had sat both of them down as soon as they started bringing girls home and had hit puberty. They were fifteen, almost sixteen, and he told them everything they needed to know, and even let them ask whatever they wanted as far as questions. Where had he screwed it up?

"Is he ok?"

"Mom's already going to kill me," Tommy said, "If he has a heart attack on top of it - Dad? DAD?"

She couldn't be that far along, right? She didn't look much, or at all more bloated or anything than she usually did. So it must have just happened – which kind of only made it worse. Olivia went away for a month, and he couldn't manage to make sure the house was all put together right. Olivia was gone for what a week when this happened? If Becca already knew, then it must have been about the time Olivia had left. He hadn't even been able to keep the kids in line for that long? Never mind her killing Tommy – Liv was going to kill him. It was his job to make sure the kids all stayed kids, at least until she got home.

"I'm going to need so much more frozen yogurt," He mumbled,

"What?" Tommy asked as Bella came running in.

"We talk about this later," Fitz said, scooping Bella up, "After dinner, and one your mother's home. And after Bella's asleep."

Tommy nodded in agreement, and Bella pouted.

"No fair," She said, as Fitz let her down, "All the fun stuff happens after I'm asleep."

"Not true," Fitz told her, "You went with mom to see the animals earlier, that was fun, right?"

"She won't let me swim with the dolphin they just got."

"That's not a trained dolphin," Tommy told her as Fitz went to pull dinner out of the oven, "If it's at mom's work, then it's probably sick."

"She's sick?" Bella's whole demeanor changed.

"Not too bad," Tommy recovered quickly, "Like when you're sick and you have to go to the doctors."

"Oh," Bella said, "I want to make her a card."

"I'm sure you can after dinner," Fitz said as he set the food on the table, "CAM!"

"Coming," He called back as Fitz pulled Bella's chair out for her, "Where's Mom?"

"Working late, I think," Fitz said as they all sat around the table, Olivia's seat left open with a plate waiting for her.

They all started eating, and as it went on, it just got more and more awkward. Because, the more and more Fitz thought about it, the less he wanted to talk. The less he wanted to do anything but stare at his plate. Which seemed to set off a chain reaction, Tommy noticing first and looking down at his plate at such an angle you couldn't even see his face. Becca was worse, and Fitz felt bad about that. Becca didn't have anything to be ashamed about, poor girl. She was smart, smarter than Tommy even. She deserved to be heading off to school next fall too, she didn't need this.

He had known her since Tommy brought her home three years ago, fifteen. Bright, gifted, a canvas artist as opposed to Tommy's preference. But the point was, neither of them were ready to be parents. He didn't want either of them to have to be at eighteen. Anyway, Cam seemed to pick up on the awkward and was uncharacteristically quiet, which made Fitz wonder whether Tommy had told him already. Bella was the only one who didn't seem to pick up on the clue.

"Look Daddy!" She pointed to her plate, and Fitz looked over to see that she had made a face in her food, her vegetables for eyes, the chicken for hair.

"Don't play with your food, Bells," He told her, in what he hoped was a light tone.

After that, the room got so quiet that you could hear everyone munching on their own dinners. Which meant, when the front door opened and Olivia came clamoring through – everyone's heads popped up. Fitz watched as the dread he was feeling in his head washed over Tommy's face. Bella slipped down off her chair, running to meet Olivia in the doorway, and Fitz stood up – trying to seem like nothing was wrong. Hiding things from her – even for a short period of time, to avoid an immediate confrontation – was never his strong suit. She usually read him like a book, and he assumed that tonight would be no different.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hello my lovelies. I hope you all had a pretty good Monday. Enjoy :)

American Sweetheart

Chapter Four:

There was a certain smell that always went with a doctors' office – and she had just been there at the end of the week before. It was always the first stop when she got back from a research trip, well depending on when her flight got back. They would give her a physical, and make sure that everything was all set to go, and that she wasn't going to transfer anything to the boys. And if she was, she knew what meds to give the family to make sure that no one got sick. They were careful about these things, particularly since the kids had come along. The last thing she wanted was to bring some weird viral thing home, and make the kids sick without any sort of preventative measures being taken. It had only happened once, and the boys had never really been sick – but that was because they were so careful. The boys were on steroids and extra vitamins that time before she even got home herself. Fitz, too.

But she wasn't there for a check up this time. This time she was there, sitting in waiting room for a very, extraordinarily different reason. She was forty-two there was no reason she should be pregnant. She was too old to have a baby, never mind her other personal complications. So many doctors, not only telling her that it would be hard for her to get pregnant in the first place, but her ridiculously low odds of surviving the pregnancy. But instead of trying to focus on all that: for the most part, she was just watching her foot go about mile a minute, shaking. It was a nervous habit that, for the most part, had gone away when she hit puberty. However, it reared it's head on rare occurrences.

She actually couldn't remember the last time it had flared up like this. When Ally the psychopath was trying to kill Fitz she hadn't had time to be anxious. She was in awe when she poisoned him, and was only told after about all the other crap. It would have been when Cam was in surgery right after he was born, but she was barely conscience and was once again told afterwards. Bella's adoption had gone perfectly, so that couldn't have been it. Maybe when she had married Fitz? No, then she had been calm, excited, but resolved.

* * *

><p>"Liv, Darling," Her mother asked as she poked her head into the room somewhat cautiously.<p>

"Mmmm?" Olivia had responded, spinning around in the chair she had been sitting in.

"You ready for pictures?" She asked, and Olivia got up.

Ten minutes ago she had demanded a little alone time for herself to let things settle. She wasn't scared, or nervous, she wanted this. She wanted Fitz, and she had known she wanted him since she was eighteen years old. When he showed up in his bad-boy phase and turned into a man, for her. Not because she asked him to, she would have loved him that way just as much. But because he knew that was what she needed. What she wanted. He had been the world's most perfect boyfriend, and fiancé. She had no qualms about how he would be as a husband and a dad.

"Sure," Olivia said as she got up and followed her mom out to the living room.

Abby, Georgia, and Maya were all dressed in the rides aids dresses she had picked out months ago. Judging by the lack of negative response, she assumed that they weren't the most hideous things she could have picked. Pictures went off without a hitch, except maybe a few tears from mom and Admiral.

"You sure about this?" Admiral had whispered as they stood outside the church, and Georgia had started the professional down the center aisle.

"Yes," She said it without any sort of hesitation.

"I mean, Fitz is a great guy - but there's no shame in -"

"I love him, Daddy," She told him, "I love him more than I could have ever expected to love anyone."

"Good," He replied, as the doors in front of them opened up and the wedding march she had picked sounded.

Right there, down the aisle and right directly in front of her was Fitz. Looking just as dashing as he always did in a tux, with Pete and Stephen standing dutifully beside him. She couldn't see them, not really. The minute she walked in the door her eyes locked with Fitz's and that was that. He kept eye contact with her the whole way down the aisle, until finally Admiral was placing both her hands into Fitz's.

"You take care of my girl," The Admiral sounded like he hadn't in quite a while.

"I could never let her down," Fitz replied without skipping a beat.

Admiral nodded, then ducked off to find his seat next to her mother. Fitz wanted to lean in and kiss her, she could see it, but he knew he couldn't just yet. Instead he mouthed 'I love you' as they turned ever so slightly towards the minister. The rest was a blur to her until -

"And now the Bride and Groom have prepared their own vows..."

"Livy," Fitz breathed as soon as he was prompted to, "I love you, you are the one person that I've found that I truly can not live without. So, today, I'm asking you to accept me, as your husband. Where I sign my heart, my head, and my soul officially over to you - but we both know that you've had those in your pocket for years. And it's where they should all stay, until the day they put me in the ground. So, Olivia Carolyn Pope, will you accept me, all of me?"

"I do," She felt a tear stain her cheek as he slipped her wedding band onto her finger, "Fitz. My lover, my best friend, my protector, my equal, and my lifeguard. Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III, will you let me be your wife? To hold you, and get you through for good, bad, and always?"

"I do," He said, almost before she was done speaking, and she smiled as she slipped his ring onto his finger.

"By the powers vested in me, I now announce Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III. You may kiss the bride."

"Oh, thank God."

The crowd laughed as Fitz pulled her into his arms, and kissed her like he had a million times since.

* * *

><p>No, that had not been a stressful day. However, as she was shuffled into an exam room - she couldn't even think of a more stressful situation to be in. She wanted Fitz to be there, to walk with her into the room and hold her hand. She wanted him to sit in the little chair on the side and wait for the results with her. But he wasn't, and he wasn't there out of her own choice. She needed time to process what was going on, and process it without him panicking about almost losing her with the boys. She needed to figure out what she wanted to do, and the price of that was that, at least for right now, Fitz didn't get to know yet.<p>

"Olivia," Her doctor smiled as she walked in, closing the door behind her carefully, "It's a surprise to see you back so quick. What's this about? Did you find any rashes or are you having any pain?"

"No," Olivia replied, taking the pause to breath before continuing, she hadn't said it out loud yet, "I think I may be pregnant."

She was crying, slightly, so she reached up and wiped her eyes as the doctor let a moment pass.

"Where's Fitz? You're going to need him."

"I don't want to worry him until I know for sure."

"Ok," She replied, with a little nod, she got a sterile needle from the cabinet, "I'm just going to get some blood and run the tests for you. It should only take a few minutes on the instant. Have you taken a home test?"

"No," Olivia admitted, "I figured I'd just come right in and know for certain."

"Ok," She said, taking the sample out into the hallway, and disappearing as she closed the door.

Olivia ran her hand across her stomach, where she could imagine her stomach swelling up. Where she could imagine, because she had so many times, being pregnant again. She thought about the baby that might be growing inside her, and closed her eyes. It wasn't the baby's fault, her tears, the pain it had nothing to do with it.

"I don't hate you," She whispered, letting her hand slip off, "I don't not want you. This isn't - personal."

"Olivia?" Her doctor walked back into her room, pamphlets in her hand, and she sat down in one of the chairs, "The results came back positive. You're about five weeks along. I have a few things for you here. It's important to remember that you do have options."

"Options?" Olivia was crying again.

"You have time to think about it, you can call me with any questions," She said as Olivia took the pamphlets she was offering her, "I just want to check before you leave whether it's an ectopic pregnancy. You're at a bigger risk due to a couple different factors, so I just want to make sure with a quick ultrasound just to rule it out."

"I don't want to see it," Olivia said, and the doctor nodded, "Not yet."

"You don't have to see anything," She told her, and Olivia nodded, allowing herself to be led into a new room in a different hallway.

"What're my odds here?" Olivia asked as she climbed up on the table and lifted her shirt.

"Your odds?" She repeated then took a breath, "It's been a long time since your original discussions with OBs and specialists. A lot has changed. However, it's still an incredibly high risk pregnancy, and that risk is to you. We can proceed however you think you want to go. No one's telling you what to do here."

She wished someone would. She thought of the pamphlets, all with equally awful titles around the same general theme 'dealing with your high risk pregnancy' and 'is it selfish to abort my baby so I live'. Those weren't the actual titles, the actual titles were much more politically correct, but it was what they might as well have said. It was the situation that she was in.

"Let me just - there. Nope, you're all set. Remember, call me once it's sunk in and once you have questions, ok?"

"I will," Olivia replied, and I the doctor handed her a bag full of vitamin bottles.

"They can't hurt," She told her, "A few of them I threw in extra to help your body cope until you make a decision."

"Thanks."

She took an extra minute to pull herself together before she threw the vitamin bag into her purse. It helped not to look at them, not to think about it too hard. But she did have to think about it, and she had to make a choice. However, more immediately, though much less horrifyingly, she had to tell Fitz. That was what she was dreading the most as she walked out of the doctor's office. The more daunting, and more horrifying decision was coming, but right now – it was Fitz. She knew him well enough to know that he was going to be just as devastated, worried, and alarmed as she was. He had made it quite clear in their many conversations on the subject that any risk to her life – even in this situation – was not something he was ok with. But she wondered if his opinion would change now that it was a nightmare that was actually there. Not that the baby itself was a nightmare, it was the situation. It was her fault – it was her body that sucked. Her body that didn't work properly.

The house, as she walked into it, was quieter than she remembered it being in any sort of recent memory. Everyone was home, everyone and Becca's cars were spread between the driveway and the garage. The door shutting behind her was almost startlingly loud as she hung her purse on the hook, under Bella's rain coat. The little noise she had made had triggered Bella's babble, which was a clear indicator that they had started dinner without her. It happened both ways. Fitz was sometimes late, too. With Bella, dinner needed to be exactly at five, when dinner was supposed to be – so that she could get to bed at her seven'o'clock bedtime. The boys were more flexible, but she was still little, very little, and structure was important.

"Everyone's so quiet," She said, once she kissed the top of her children's heads, hugged Fitz, and sat down.

"Everything ok?" Fitz asked, and she nodded – technically.

"Where were you?" Cam asked as Olivia loaded up her plate, she was exhausted – and hungry.

"I had to go into work," She replied casually, "Then I ended up with a late appointment."

"Tommy says Honey's sick," Bella chimed in, not allowing anyone to question her further, and Olivia exchanged looks around the table.

"Most of the animals I take care of are," Olivia told her, "It's a hospital to help them out. But Honey's just lost."

"She's lost?"

"Honey usually would travel with a family," Olivia explained, "We found her off by herself, when most of the dolphins like her have gone away for a while."

"Oh."

"So, we're taking care of her until we can find her a family."

"Oh, ok."

This seemed to be enough of an answer for her, and enough conversation for the rest of the meal. When it was over, Cam took Bella into the den to play a little before bed. Fitz waved Tommy and Becca off, and the two of them began clean up. She turned around as she finished loading the dishwasher, and found herself with Fitz's arms around her tight. She smiled, probably for the first real time all day. Fitz holding her like he was, leaning against the counter, his chin on top of her head – it was hard for her to think about anything bad. And then she did something terrible. She let herself think about what it would be like if her body was properly wired to carry a child. If this was a wholly happy situation. If she had just told Fitz that in nine months he would be holding a healthy mom and baby.

She had to bite it back.

"I have to tell you something," He whispered into her hair, "And you're not going to like it."

"What?" Olivia asked, looking up at him suspiciously.

"C'mon, Livy."

He whispered as if it were supposed to calm her down. Her head was racing, what could he have to tell her that he was so sure would upset her? And why was it so important? Fitz was infamous for not telling her things while she was already upset, and saving them for later. She hardly ever complained about this practice, but right about now, it was scaring her as he guided her back towards the kitchen table, took a seat, and pulled her carefully down into his lap. If he wanted her that close, then it couldn't be something he thought that she was going to lash out at him. But there was this look in his eyes, like he felt like whatever it was was his fault. Like he was hurting her.

"Fitz…"

"Tommy and Becca want to have a talk with us," He told her lightly, then took a deep breath, "Becca's pregnant. This isn't something that I ever wanted to have to tell you, especially not like this."

"She –"

Olivia was frozen, completely unaware of what was going on around her. How was this even fucking possible? Tommy and Becca were – She didn't even know what to think, she was…

"They were acting all shifty before dinner, so I made them tell me what was going on," Fitz told her, and she nodded, but what he was saying wasn't computing, "I think they've just found out. I told them any conversations were going to have to wait until you got home…"

Could they wait until like, a week from now? Olivia wasn't ready to deal with this. She was tired, and she was about eighty percent sure that her hormones were kicking in right about now. She was scared, pregnant, and upset. And now this? And now she had to deal with her son and his girlfriend expecting a baby at eighteen? And what was she supposed to say to them? 'You should have been more careful'? It might sound bitchy, but Becca wasn't under extreme limitations on this stuff. Olivia had been told by God knew how many doctors to adopt, to use a surrogate, to avoid getting pregnant again at all costs, and here she was. Tommy was even ahead of her by a few steps: He had told Fitz.

"I can't deal with this," Olivia breathed, her face against Fitz's shoulder.

"You don't have to alone," Fitz replied, moving her hair from her face, "I'm right here. We have to talk to them a little bit tonight, so they don't panic. But then we can take a minute to step back, ok? We can figure it out."

"Ok," Olivia sighed, as she spotted the clock – it was Bella's bedtime.

"Sit," Fitz picked her up as he stood up, and placed her back down in the chair, "I'll get Cam to put Bella to bed, and we'll talk to them for a while."

"Ok," Olivia said quietly, and Fitz gave her a weary look before walking out into the next room.

What had happened to her happy smiley little boy? The one who's biggest worry in the world was making sure the other kids on the playground didn't pick on his brother? The one who got in the most trouble with his brother, playing around his wheelchair, and not thinking about the consequences? The little boy she had brought home from the hospital, and the one that wasn't going to be the problem anymore? The one who got his life together a couple of years ago, and cleaned up his act? Now this? Her heart ached, for the stuff that Tommy wasn't going to be able to do. This was why Tommy had been talking about not going to college. It all made sense now.

"Good night, Mommy," Bella came running in before Cam, who rolled in after her.

"Oh, Good night, baby girl," She said, leaning down and giving her a hug.

"Go on up and brush your teeth," Cam told her, and Bella nodded, and ran off up the stairs, "I thought you could use a Bella hug."

"Thanks, Cam."

"And, don't kill him, ok? He's the only brother I've got."

"You knew?"

"He was really freaked out about a week ago," He nodded slightly, "That's when he told me."

"Ok," Olivia said, taking a deep breath, "Just, stay upstairs, ok? And don't forget that you have PT after school tomorrow."

"Ok. G'night, Mom," He said, and Olivia nodded as he left, and Fitz came in with Cam and Becca in toe.

"Look we made a mistake –" Tommy said, and Fitz raised his eyebrows.

"Ok," Fitz said, as he sat down next to Olivia, "How're you gonna fix it?"

"We want to keep the baby. Becca, wants to keep the baby. So, I guess college is off the table –."

"No, that's where you're wrong," Fitz said, taking a deep breath, "Have you told Becca's parents yet?"

"No," Becca said, and Fitz nodded.

"I didn't want to tell them until – "

"Here – for now – is what I'm thinking is going to happen," Fitz said, giving a weary side glance at Olivia, who still had nothing to add, "And Livy pipe in as necessary. You're both still going to school. You're both getting jobs, and you're keeping the baby, if that's what Becca wants. You'll both pick a school near each other, and I'll get you an apartment for four years, as long as you're both still in school. A lot of parents wouldn't – but I think that's an incredibly dangerous lesson for you to learn the hard way. You're already learning something the hard way. I'll set you up with the apartment, and pay for your school, and anything the baby needs that you two can't provide before Tommy's trust fund kicks in, after he's done with school. Ok?"

"Dad, I'm sorry I – "

"That's it, as of right now," Fitz told him, and then looked to Olivia.

He had had dinner to mull things over.

"Do you have anything to add?" He asked, and Olivia shrugged.

"I think we all just need to have some rest," Olivia replied, and she looked at Becca softly, "Remember that this is an option, and we can work with it a little bit. But also, given the resources that are available – it's still not going to be easy. But we will help. We should all just take a minute to think. And Becca, honey, you should get home before your parents worry. I need to go to bed."

Olivia got up from the table before any of them even moved, and Tommy almost looked surprised that she was so calm. She heard vaguely that Fitz, slightly more calm now than before tell them that they would talk about this another night, maybe in a couple days. She got up to her bedroom, and there were slightly wilted flowers on her pillow, and a bottle of her favorite wine on her pillow. Fitz's own version of trying to cheer her up – she assumed this was pre-Tommy drama.

"I'm not a bad Dad, right?" Fitz said as he appeared in the room with a big bowl of her favorite Froyo, and handed it to her, "This was all done before, for the record. Because I get that you're upset, and you're not ready to tell me why. But when you are – "

"I know," Olivia told him, shamelessly spooning it into her mouth as fast as she could – she could figure something out for hiding the wine, "And don't you dare even think about that. Myself, and three kids can attest to the fact that you're a great father."

"Am I being too soft?" He asked, and Olivia looked at him.

"Fitz, Tommy and Becca are going to have to way rougher than I can imagine. No matter how much help we give them. I agree, I want to make sure that this doesn't ruin their whole lives."

"Ok," Fitz said, "It's just I know most fathers would – but I once gave my own father three million dollars to stay away from my family. I should pay for my son, and the mother of his child to go to school, right? I know most parents wouldn't but – "

"I don't think I can think about this anymore tonight," Olivia said, as she fed him a spoonful of froyo, "We'll figure it out. We'll talk with Tommy, Becca, and Becca's parents, and we will figure it out. This isn't the end of the world."

"Right," Fitz said, and Olivia sighed.

Tonight was not the night to tell him.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hello, my lovelies. Enjoy :)

American Sweetheart

Chapter Five:

Fitz was sitting in his office, trying not to think about what had been going on at home over the past few days. Between Olivia's secrecy, and general feelings of upset-ness and Tommy walking around the house like a zombie. They hadn't told Becca's parents yet, they were planning on telling them tonight, Tommy and Becca together. He was hoping that once they did, his son would resurface from the land of the dead. Cam, given the issues going on, had stepped up his game. He was picking Bella up from dance classes, offering to help more than he was required to. Fitz was thankful to him, for helping out where he could. It made Fitz think that maybe he should take Cam and Tommy out camping the next night, Saturday night. He used to bring them out camping all the time when they were little, before they reached high school and were always down each other's throats. He had been planning on taking them over the summer, before they left for college. That just seemed unlikely now.

"Lauren," He called in his secretary, "Could you book the campsite for tomorrow night?"

"Sure, Sir," She replied, popping into the doorway as Fitz realized what time it was.

"And I'm going to take my lunch over to Liv now," He said as he got up, and started walking out of the room, "Let Mike know I'll speak to him when I get back."

"Ok," Lauren replied, returning to her desk as Fitz was walking by it.

"Dammit," He put his hand down on her desk.

"What?"

"Pete, Georgia, and the kids are coming tonight," Fitz said, and Lauren paused, "Book it anyway. I'll call Pete and text the boys."

"Ok," Lauren replied as Fitz headed out the door.

"Fitz," Pete answered just as he was climbing into the car, "We're just heading to the airport now. What's up?"

"Good," Fitz couldn't help but smile, "Hey, what d'you say we do a camping trip Saturday. Just us and our boys?"

"Sure. Sam and I are in," Pete said, and Fitz could tell that he was driving, too, "Give the girls' a little alone time. But we haven't done this in a while – what's going on?"

"Tom's gotten himself into a bit of trouble –"

"Awe – I thought he was doing so much better…"

"No. He is," Fitz was quick to defend him as he pulled up outside Olivia's favorite sandwich shop, "It's just – him and his girlfriend came to us the other night – they're expecting."

"Oh – wow," Pete sounded exactly how Fitz felt.

"So, basically, he's got nine months to grow up."

"Camping sounds goot," Peter replied, "If you need anything – "

"Ok for now," Fitz said easily as he got out of the car to go get Liv's sandwich.

"How's Liv?"

"She's – I don't know," Fitz said as she paid the woman at the counter for the sandwiches she had had waiting for him, "SHe's honestly an enigma to me right now."

"I'm sorry, Fitz," Pete replied, "You know what you're gonna do yet?"

"Not exactly," Fitz said, "We're waiting to talk to her parents once they know. Which is tonight, Tommy's going over with her to tell them."

"Oh, fun. Well, let him know I'm thinking of him."

"Will do, see ya later," Fitz told him as he hung up, and stopped outside his car to text the boys.

'We're going camping with Pete and Sam tomorrow night. Plan accordingly.'

Then, he started the long ride to get to Olivia's work. While yes, it wasn't that far from the sandwich shop, but mentally, it was a lot worse. He wasn't about to make it an issue, but it hurt. It hurt seeing that she was upset, and not handling something very well on her own. She was struggling with something, that much was obvious, and she wouldn't let him help. He was used to her waiting to tell him what was wrong, and he was used to her wanting to handle her own situations herself, and telling him about them later. She was independent, she always had been. But she had never taken this long to tell him something. She had never taken this long to say something. He didn't want to pry, he never wanted to be that husband. She was independent, and he loved that about her.

"You brought me lunch," Olivia smiled a little as he walked into her office.

"Only the best for my Mrs. Grant," He said, meeting her in front of the desk, dropping the bag on it as he kissed her, "I love you, you know that, right?

"I do," She said, taking a breath as she pressed herself into his arms, "But right now, I just need you to hold me, ok? Make sure I don't fall apart."

"Yes, Ma'am," He replied, kissing the top of her head , "It's just – I know it's not just Tommy – there's something else going on. And, I'm trying to be patient, I am – but my head is just racing through everything under the sun that it could be – "

"I love you," She told him, running her hand down his back softly, "But you're just going to have to be patient with me, baby. Just – you're doing a great job."

"Ok," He said, taking a deep breath, "Wanna eat outside? On the seawall?"

"Sure," She nodded, and he took her hand as he walked her out of the building, waving to Denise as they did.

"So, I think Pete, Sam, the boys, and I are going to go camping tomorrow night," Fitz said, "Leave early Saturday, do some fishing, spend the night camping out. And you, Bella, Georgia, and their girls have time to have a girl night. Or space, or whatever time you want to have."

"Space?"

"To think."

"Fitz. I need a little while to figure out – "

"And I'm giving it to you."

"You're punishing me."

"Livy," He was somewhat bewildered, "That's not what I'm doing."

"Like hell."

"It's not what I'm doing," Fitz said, catching her hand as she got up to leave, "I need some alone time with my boys, and I don't think that you can argue that. Our house is so screwed up right now, I can barely stand being home. Tommy's walking around like someone's punching from the inside out. Cam is trying as hard as he can to be the world's most perfect child to make up for all the other crap going on, and Bella's even starting to realize that something's wrong. They need some normalcy, and this is what I can think of. This way, Bella can be distracted by Kenzie, and Lyla. You'll have time to think, and I can try and get the boys back into some sort of routine."

"Ok," Olivia replied, taking a breath.

"This isn't a punishment, Liv," Fitz said, "I'm trying to fix it. I'm trying to get our boys back, and I'm trying to save Bella from everything that's going on with them. And, Cam knows something's up with you. It's part of why he's suddenly shining up his halo – it's weird. He read a story to Bella last night, six of them before she would go to sleep. She kept crying for Tommy, but he couldn't hear her because he's freaked. And he should be freaked. I'm trying to help."

"Alright," Olivia didn't like it – he knew it, he knew that she still felt like it was a punishment – but she didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"Alright," Fitz said, picking up his sandwich from the bag, "I should get back."

"We haven't even eaten yet," She said, he nodded, "Please stay."

"You know I always will," He sat back down, and bit into his sandwich.

Fitz knew that he was treading on thin ice, and while he was actually getting angry now, he knew better than to act on it. He wanted to lash out, because he was hurt, but he had to try to think he understood that whatever was happening – she was scared. He knew that much, and whatever it was – if it scared her, he knew that it scared him. And as he was sitting on that seawall, it occurred to him that she was keeping it from him for his own protection. And as he finished off his sandwich, and sat patiently and waited for her to finish her's, he was confused. She wouldn't look at him, but he knew he would be the one in trouble if he left a second before she wanted him to. So, he waited and, as a result, missed his conference call with Mike.

"Lauren," He called her from his car, "I have something I have to do right now. Tell Mike I'll email him later, to reschedule, personally. Give him my apologies."

"Ok," Lauren replied, and Fitz hung up as he pulled up to Tommy's warehouse.

He could see Tommy's car sitting outside, and he had known this was exactly where he was going after school. The warehouse was where Tommy went when he was upset, or trying to work things out. Or if he was terrified of going to his girlfriend's house that night to announce that she was pregnant. He pulled up right next to Tommy's car. He took a deep breath, and walked inside, careful not to touch anything that still looked wet. The whole place was a masterpiece, he couldn't think of a time he was prouder of Tommy than when he was walking through those hallways. It was when Tommy had figured out how to be a human being without feeling like he had to be a rebel. He had said earlier his son had nine months to grow up, but he already had. He was eighteen, and he was capable of doing – amazing things.

"The last room?" Fitz questioned as he walked in, and Tommy pulled his mask down from his face to hang around his neck.

"Yeah," He said, fixing his hair as he dropped his can of paint.

"You have any idea what you're going to do with it?" Fitz asked him, and Tommy shrugged.

"I think I wanna donate it," He said, and Fitz nodded – somewhat surprised, "I want it to be a teen center. With counselors, and people to help kids that are in trouble."

"Really?" Fitz asked, and Tommy nodded.

"Kids with less amazing parents than you and mom," He said, and he took a deep breath, "I know, I messed up. I disappointed you, and mom – and mom's – is mom ok?"

"Mom – it's not you," Fitz said, taking a deep breath, "And you're not a disappointment, Tommy. It was a mistake, and we're going to figure out how to handle it. There's no reason - "

"What did the Admiral say?" Tommy asked, sitting down on his tarp, and Fitz sat down too, "When you told him that mom was pregnant?"

"That was a different situation," Fitz said, "We were married, Olivia had done most of the school that she wanted to do. We had multiple houses, and his little girl wasn't eighteen years old."

"Yeah."

"But I can tell you what happened when your mom was eighteen," Fitz said, and Tommy's ears perked up, "Your mom had this, unbelievable dick of a boyfriend. And I was basically down there for reform school, I didn't turn myself around as early as you did – I was twenty-three, and the Admiral was supposed to straighten me out. The only thing that happened was that I fell in love with his daughter. Well, at first. And I was doing laps, and all I hear is this scream. I ran over there and all I can see is this complete asshole hitting the woman that I – anyways – "

"Did you beat the shit out of the guy?"

"You don't know how much I wish I had," Fitz said, "But I got your mom out of the car, and I told the guy off, and I carried her up to the house, got her cleaned up. That was the first time we kissed. And I told her that I couldn't kiss her as a rebound – she had to wait."

"Ok…"

"I'm not done yet," He gave Tommy a little smile, "But – your mom was a mess, and I held her , on the couch until she stopped hyperventilating and fell asleep. I laid there, and I fell asleep, too. The next morning, we were all cuddled up on the couch, and guess who found us?"

"The Admiral."

"And you remember the kind of reputation that I had then?"

"How are you still – he didn't kill you?"

"No," Fitz said, "Because I didn't engage him. I let him tear into me, and I let him yell – as much as he wanted. He had a right to be mad – he just found me spooning his little girl in his house, with a reputation of a man who never even stopped to find out a girl's name. He's going to have the right to be angry, Tom."

"I know."

"Don't engage him. let him be mad," Fitz said, "It's his right as a dad. But, as unchivalrous as it sounds, you're not there for his approval – because at this point, it doesn't matter. You should fight for it, and try to get it a little – but tonight? That's not why you're there. You're there for Becca. You're there to support her, and make sure that she is ok. That's you're number one priority. But in making sure that she's ok, you have to make sure that you – other than the obvious – are not adding to the problem."

"Ok," Tommy nodded, and Fitz gave him a little smile.

"This is going to be hard," Fitz said, and Tommy nodded.

"I know."

"But we're going to get you through it. Somehow."

"Ok," Tommy nodded, "We're going camping tomorrow?"

"We are. Just like when we used to," He replied, and Tommy nodded, "You sure leaving mom alone is a good idea?"

"She won't be alone," Fitz said, taking a deep breath – not that she seemed to need him right now, "She's going to have Bella, Georgia, and the girls."

"Ok," Tommy nodded slowly.

"Plus, it can't hurt to get you out of town for a while once you tell Becca's dad, let him cool down," Fitz said, "Just make sure Becca knows you'll be back bright and early Sunday morning."

"Sounds good."

"Alright, good luck, if I don't see you," Fitz said, and Tommy nodded.

Fitz was home in the next couple of minutes, before Olivia was home. Olivia picked Bella up from her mother's on the way home from work, and until then the house was his. He used his time to conference Mike and the New York office to make sure that everything was going well up there. Also, to have them fax over any forms that he needed to sign for the new contract with the new set of plans for the hospital deal they were getting. When he hung up, Olivia was home with Bella, and once they had both taken Bella out into the backyard to play with Bella, both of them. They tried to make sure that she got both of them time the same way that the boys had. When they came in from that, they heard Pete's rental car pulling into the driveway.

"Fitzgerald!" Pete called in the foyer, playfully.

Georgia walked in behind him with in Sam, who was sixteen, Kenzie, who was twelve, and Lyla who was six on her heels. Fitz gave Pete a hug, and then Cam came home, and helped everyone with dinner. It was almost worse that Cam was trying to hard, and he just wanted to tell him to go back to being a normal kid. But hadn't he yelled at him for that? Worst. Father. Ever.

"You ok, old man?" Pete asked, later that night when they were sitting in the television room, the girls all in bed, Cam in his room, "I can't remember the last time that we had separate nightcaps from the girls."

"I can't – I can't even," Fitz stopped short, starting to laugh like an idiot, til he was red in the face.

"Fitz…"

"I don't know," Fitz said, "Liv left for a month. She left on a freakin' research trip, which she used to do all the time. No big deal – and I completely lost control of everything. Everything. I can't even pick her up lunch anymore and I – "

"Fitz," He heard Olivia call for him from the other room, and he whipped around, getting up and going to her in the foyer.

"It's fine, mom, don't worry about it," Tommy said, ducking his head and Fitz walked right over to him, tipping his face up.

"What the hell happened?" Fitz asked, realizing vaguely that Pete and Georgia were in the room, too as he saw a huge bruise covering most of Tommy's eye.

"I didn't do anything," Tommy said, "I was submissive, like you said. We told her parents, and her dad just decked me…her mom had to pull him off…"

Fitz was already grabbing his car keys.

"Fitz," Olivia said, taking Tommy behind her, "Where are you going?"

"To go have a chat with Mr. Lyndly," Fitz said, knowing that he sounded scary.

"I'll come along, too," Pete said, Fitz knew he was hoping to calm him down.

"Fitz, that's –

"Don't, dad – He gets to be angry."

"He gets to be angry," Fitz nodded, "You're right. But he sure as hell doesn't get to hit you."

"C'mon," Pete put his hand on Fitz's shoulder, and guided him out the door.

Fitz had calmed down a little by the time he was halfway to the house, and Pete seemed a little relieved. It wasn't going to stop him from knocking on his door, though. He could hold onto that much anger, and it wasn't even that hard. He may not have had the clearest head, or the most control over his life right now – but that was unintelligible. There was no reason that Tommy should be coming home with a bruised and bloody from trying to do the right thing. He swallowed hard as he knocked on the door – it had taken him a lot of convincing – but Pete had agreed to stay by the car.

"Fitz," Mrs. Lyndly answered the door, "I'm so sorry about my husband earlier, but – "

"I have nothing against you, Diane," Fitz told her, "Let me talk to Jim."

"Who is it?" Jim asked, walking up the hall behind his wife, "Oh. It's the asshat who raised a son to be worse than he was. You know, I never should have let Becca around that idiot kid of yours. After all the trouble that you caused, there's no way that kid was raised with the right head on his shoulders."

"My son, and your daughter made a decision," Fitz said, "And I'm not going to sugarcoat it and tell you it wasn't a wrong fucking decision – "

"Shut the hell up. I don't want to talk to you about this – "

"You hit him. He's bleeding – you're pathetic," Fitz said, "You hit an eighteen year old fucking kid. Let me let you in on a secret, your daughter and my son came to me, and told me what was happening. They were terrified. They're terrified. He had the strength, and he was raised to stand up and take responsibility, and he you decked him so hard that he was bleeding. What kind of man _are_ you? We love Becca, and we're willing to help them figure this out. You lay so much as a finger on my son, and I will be calling the cops, you hear me?"

"Fitz.." Diane was upset, but that wasn't his fault.

On the list of things that were his fault, that was not one of them. And that felt good. He walked away from the front door, and back to his car, where Pete was waiting for him, and climbed into the car.

"You sure you're alright, Fitz?" Pete asked, taking the keys from him as he shook, "You're too angry to drive, I've got it."

"I think Liv cheated on me," Fitz said, slumping into the passenger's side seat and, Pete just froze.

"What? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard – "

"She's upset, she's been out late, and she won't tell me what's wrong. It's been a week," Fitz said, "Basically since she got home. I understand, if it was a mistake, if it was once while she was away and now this guy is blackmailing her, or doing something like that – I'll forgive her. I love her, I know she loves me – but I just, I need her to tell me."

"I should get you home before Liv has a heart-attack over you leaving like that."

_Yeah._


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hey guys. I threw in a line from last night's episode – see if you could spot it? (I couldn't help it) Other than that, Enjoy my lovelies (I hope you don't mind that I've adopted this nickname for you all). Also, a couple of you have asked about why they don't have a nanny/cook/housekeeper. This is from the other stories. Fitz was raised that way, and while yes, he does have the money, he didn't want his kids growing up that way. He had a bad time of it. Anyways, Enjoy :)

American Sweetheart

Chapter Six:

Olivia took Tommy into the kitchen, and sat him down in a chair before she went for the First Aid kit. Tommy squared his jaw, and Olivia shook her head as she rinsed out a warm facecloth up to wash his face up before she tried to figure out how to treat it better. Georgia sat down at the table with him, as if to keep him there as Cam and Sam came in through the back door. She had been pretty certain that they had been upstairs, but wasn't too concerned about it when they came in. They had bonded pretty well, probably because when they used to have parties Tommy had always been close with Jonah.

"What the hell happened?" Cam asked as Georgia pulled a fairly unresponsive Tommy's hair back.

His eye looked worse in the light, and Olivia wished that Fitz hadn't run off so quickly. She understood the macho, need to go protect and fight off danger, but she would have rather he be there. Tommy was sitting bleeding on the kitchen floor, and she was trying to wipe his face off. Georgia was trying to hold him still, and wave Sam and Cam into the other room at the same time. She took a deep breath as she managed to stop the bleeding.

"I think you need stitches," Olivia told him, knowing that he did.

"Seriously?" Tommy sounded more than a little upset about it.

"I wouldn't make you go if it wasn't something that didn't need at least four," Olivia replied, and Tommy sighed.

"Can't i just go to bed?" Tommy asked and Olivia shook her head.

"C'mon," Olivia said, helping him out of his seat, "Let's go. Georgia, do you mind staying with the kids?"

"Do you want to wait for Fitz? Or I could go with you," She asked, and Olivia shook her head.

"If he gets home before we do, then tell him where we went," Olivia said on their way out the door, "Otherwise, I'll tell him when he gets home."

"You don't wanna wait for Dad, ever," Tommy commented, holding a liquid ice pack to his eye as they walked to her car, "At least not anymore. You're avoiding him, I think you have been for a while."

"I am not," Olivia said as they climbed into the car, and she backed them out of the driveway.

"Really?" Tommy sounded upset, "This past week is the first time in any of my memory that you two haven't been attached at the hip right after you got back from a trip. You're not really seen not together normally, but when you haven't been here for so long? It's usually like we have to peel you two apart to do anything. So what's going on?"

"It's nothing," Olivia told him as she took the exit towards the hospital.

"Do you love each other still?" Tommy asked and Olivia froze, "Are you going to get divorced or something? Because you two love each other more than any couple that I ever have seen. It'd really suck if -"

"Tommy - that's no going to happen," Olivia told her, "we love each other - there's just a lot of stuff going on right now."

"I'm sorry."

Tommy's voice was so full of guilt that Olivia's heart just sort of ripped in two. It wasn't Tommy's fault, it wasn't anyone's fault. It was just her own fault, right? For wanting this baby, for being selfish enough to want this baby, too. What was wrong with her? She had a gorgeous husband, and amazing life, and three of the most beautiful kids that she could ever imagine having. But it wasn't enough for her, not now. She wanted the baby belly, everything colored in pink or blue, to decorate a new nursery. she wanted the pregnancy sex, she wanted the strollers and the car seats. And she was scared to want it, scared that her heart would try to crap out on her again like all the doctors said it would, if she was to try and give birth to another baby. She was scared that Fitz wouldn't wan the baby. She was scared that Fitz wouldn't understand. And she was scared that if the baby survived and she didn't - that Fitz wouldn't be able to take care of it like the other kids. Afraid that Fitz wouldn't be Fitz, and that he would keep himself from loving their baby.

"It's not you," Olivia replied, taking a deep breath, but she knew she had to convince him,"I got some news just before you told us yours. It's - big. I haven't told anyone yet. Your Dad's frustrated I haven't told him what's going on, and I don't blame him. That's what's going on."

"Oh."

"Don't tell anyone. Your dad, your brother even, ok?"

"Ok," Tommy replied, and Olivia took a deep breath.

"You better believe I'm going to be the best grandmother ever - so don't think it's that," Olivia told him playfully, and she pulled into the hospital closest to the house, and parked by the ER, "That kid is going to Disney World with your dad and I during your finals weeks. I hope you know."

"I'm scared."

"Well, you'd be an idiot it you weren't," Olivia said as she helped him inside, "Babies are scary, even when you think you're ready for them. That's why your Dad and I are helping as much as we can, because you're going to end up being punished enough."

"Gee thanks," Tommy said as she sat him down in the waiting room.

"It's the truth. Someone's got to tell you," She said, with a little smile as she headed over to the desk to get him on the list to be checked out.

They didn't end up having to wait long in the emergency room, which was nice. It was still relatively early on even if it was a Friday. The ER was novel empty, and the stitched Tommy up, and the car ride home was a lot less talkative. Tommy was exhausted, and fell asleep on her before she even pulled out of the parking lot. It made sense, she was pretty sure that he hadn't been sleeping most of the week, since they had decided that Friday night was D-day. He had been acting like that night was going to be his last night on earth. Now he could relax a little bit, and take the time to prepare without being scared shitless like he was. At least for the next few months - the hard part was over.

"Go right up to bed," Olivia told him as they walked into the house, and Tommy nodded.

They split at the staircase, where Tommy headed up to his room while Olivia headed off towards the kitchen to clean up from earlier. It seemed that Georgia, being the goddess of a friend that she was, had already cleaned up, and thrown the cloth she had used to mop Tommy up into the washing machine to be washed with the next load. She took a deep breath, and headed upstairs. She was exhausted – but she was exhausted all the time. Being pregnant being back without a break, and running around like she was was exhausting. But she was afraid to be home too much. She was afraid that if she was with Fitz too much she would tell him – she wanted to tell him – and she knew that she had to, soon. But she didn't want to tell him before she was ready. She had to work up the courage – and she was almost there.

She walked into their bedroom, mostly expecting Fitz to already be lying in bed – waiting for her. That was one thing that she liked – no matter what was happening, neither of them could truly fall asleep when they were expecting the other to come. It was so much easier to sleep with their arms wrapped around each other, it was a comforting feeling, knowing that they were there. She pulled her shoes off, and was contemplating getting in the shower when she realized what time it was, nearly two in the morning, and she texted Fitz. What if he had done something stupid? What if he had started a fight with Mr. Lyndly? He was frustrated, and hot headed sometimes, what if Peter couldn't hold him back? She could feel her stomach flip, the worry making her stomach ache, and she almost knew that she was making the baby worried too.

Shower time. There was nothing like a shower to get your nerves to calm down. Olivia figured that if she took long enough calming herself down in the shower, then Fitz would be home by the time she got out. The hot water felt good on her face, and she could feel the traces of Tommy's blood coming off of her hands – except for the little bits she had scraped off of her nails in the waiting room. She lathered up, and let the water slip off her, until she realized that her hand was on her stomach. It had only been there a minute, and she was about to move it when she stopped. There was a baby in there, her kid. And she would give her life for every single one of her kids, so how could she choose differently for this one?

And that was that. She swallowed as she stepped out of the shower, and wrapped herself up in her towel as she walked back into the bedroom. Fitz still wasn't there – and there wasn't a single missed call on her phone. As she set her phone back down on her nightstand, she resolved to call as soon as she put some clothes on. Her favorite white camisole and shorts – comfy, for sleeping. Then, she sat down on the bed to call him just as she heard the door downstairs open, and voices. She waited a minute, but was not surprised when Fitz walked in their bedroom door a few minutes later. He glanced over to her on the bed, then took his watch off, walking over to set it on his dresser.

"Where were you?" Olivia asked.

"I wasn't ready to come home," Fitz sighed, "Peter and I went and talked to Jim. I made it very clear that the next time he laid so much as a finger on Tommy, it would be the cops knocking on his door, not me. Then Peter and I drove around and talked for a bit. No reason to worry."

"No reason to worry?"

"Nope," Fitz said, stripping down to his boxers, then pulling a clean t-shirt from his drawer.

"Fitz, it's almost two-thirty in the morning."

"I had a lot on my brain," He said, and she nodded as he walked over and sat down next to her on the bed, "Pete's good to talk to."

"Anything you want to talk to me about?" Olivia asked, and Fitz shrugged.

"Do you want to talk?" He asked, but it hit her ears as an accusation.

"That's not fair," Olivia replied, "I was worried. I had to bring Tommy in to the hospital for stitches. I assumed you would be here when we got back."

"Stiches? He's ok?"

"Sleeping," Olivia replied, "He fell asleep in the car on the ride home. He went to his room as soon as we got home."

"Good," He said, and Olivia took a deep breath, "Bed time?"

"What is going on with you?" Olivia asked, as Fitz laid back on his pillow.

"Nothing," He said, shrugging, "That's the company line, right? Nothing's wrong? Except I know there's something wrong with you. You've admitted it – you just won't tell me what it is. And after twenty years, I – I'm confused. I'm good at this, the soccer-dad stuff. The dance classes, the basketball games, making sure that they're all where they need to be. I love it. I wouldn't trade it for the world. But you always wanted more. You wanted to conquer the world – and that's why it works. You leaving for trips when you want to. It lets you still do that. But – do you want this? Do you want me anymore? I know you love me – we've been together too long, and we have three kids to make it impossible not to. Even if you hated me, couldn't stand the sight of me, you'd still love me. But – "

"Fitz, stop it," Olivia replied, "Of course I still love you. I want you – I love our life together. That's why I'm – "

"You're what?" Fitz asked, and Olivia just paused for a minute.

"I'm having a hard time," She said, somewhat defensively.

"Hi, remember? I'm here to help you with that."

"Fitz – "

"I miss you, Liv," Fitz said, "You're gone for so long and then you come back and you're – different. You're sad and upset, and then you're depressed. Trying to avoid me at all costs so you what – don't have to deal with me? You spent time away for the first time in years and you decided that you're – I don't know. My mind has just been reeling through everything that could possibly have happened and I keep coming up to…"

"Coming up to what?" Olivia furrowed her brow, "Fitz –What do you think happened?"

"I don't care," He said, in a way that she knew he did, "I don't need to know, ok? I just want to know when I'll be getting my wife back, if I will be at all."

"Fitz – "

"What was it, some guy on the beach?"

"What?"

"You were in Hawaii," He continued, "Surfer?"

"Fitz, no," She said.

"I don't care, I just need to know," Fitz said, "I'll forgive you – God knows I don't really have another choice. I don't know how long I'd last without you…"

"Fitz, stop," She could feel her temper rising, "That is not, is not, and will never be something that's going to happen. I love you. I just – I was scared, I am scared."

"Of what?" Fitz asked, almost raising his voice.

He was going to have a negative reaction. He wasn't going to be happy about it, and she knew it. She had known it all along, and it was going to break her heart. Fitz's head was going to go straight to the memory he had of her lying in bed, all drugged up – unconscious for a few hours – just after the boys were born. The way she had collapsed in their living room. She knew that was what he was going to think of, not the day they brought the boys home. Or holding them in his arms for the first time. Not the day that they found Bella – the times that they welcomed a new child to their family.

"Baby," She took a deep breath, "You remember the night before I left?"

"It's all I've been able to think off all week, a bright spot," He said with a small smile, "I wasn't going to see you for a month, we stayed up the whole night. Tiring each other out, it didn't matter because you could sleep on the train, and I had the day off."

"Yeah," Olivia said, as she scooted up on the bed, placing herself into his arms.

He seemed a little bit surprised, a little put off – but he wrapped his arms around her anyway. She went up on her side, curling herself around him, putting her head on his chest. She felt his lips press down on her head, or maybe it was his chin. She hoped it was a kiss. His heart was going a mile a minute, and she waited. She breathed just a little deeper, hoping that it would be contagious, and it was. Fitz was calming down, and she could feel it, so she waited another minute, then looked up at him.

"What's going on, Livy?" His anger was gone, and she leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"I'm pregnant," She was careful to keep her tone even, not to let her voice crack, "I didn't cheat on you. I wouldn't. I love you to much. I wasn't telling you, because I'm scared."

He tightened his arms around her, but didn't say anything.

"And I'm scared, because I can't give it up," She told Fitz, and watched his expression drop from a surprise to a nightmare he had told her he had had a million times, as it sunk in, "I want to keep it. As long as it has the potential to grow to term."

"Liv." His voice was low, as if he were speaking to a delusional woman, "You can't ask me to – look, you weren't there, when you passed out. You weren't conscious when I was holding you in the living room. Or when the docs told me I had gotten you to the hospital just in time. You have three other children who need you, Liv."

"But none of them as much as this one, at least right now."

"Liv," He snuggled in, pulling the covers up around them, "Liv, I know you've wanted this for a long time, but – you can't do this. We can't do this. I can't – I can't take the risk of losing you. I – "

"Fitz, there's a chance that I could – not make it," She said, "But if we decide – then that's it. The baby's definitely not going to make it. We know that I might have that complication, so we can watch for it. It doesn't have to be like last time."

"Livy…" He said, still as if he were trying to talk 'sense' to her.

She turned over, and he kept his arm around her, becoming her cradle.

"I want this pregnancy, Fitz," She said, taking a deep breath, "We're keeping it."

"Ok," She heard his voice crack, and turned around just in time to see him trying to fight back whatever he was feeling, "I'm scared, Livy."

"Me too."

"I don't like it."

"Neither do I," She said, nuzzling her head into his chest, "And Fitz?"

"Yeah?" He was annoyed.

"I love it here, with you and the kids," She said, taking a deep breath, "You, and _all_ our kids are everything. I don't need more, and if you were afraid of that this whole time - I'm sorry."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Hey there, lovelies. Enjoy the chapter, my friends :)

American Sweetheart

Chapter Seven:

Fitz slipped out of bed the next morning without waking Olivia, and took a shower. He knew, when he got out, that he should wake her up, but he didn't want to. He leaned over her, and kissed her on her forehead instead. He thought about getting Bella, and putting her in with Liv- but decided against it. Instead, he left her a note on her nightstand saying he loved her, and they'd be home early on Sunday. He had planned the trip as a way to give her space, but as it was turning out, he was the one that needed it now. After the bomb she dropped last night, he almost thought it would be easier if it was something he could just forgive her for, or help her out of and the. They would be done with it.

The whole drive out to the campsite he was trying to figure it out. How was it at all possible to both love her and hate her at the same time - particularly in this situation. He wasn't a monster, he knew that if this were ever to happen it would probably play out like this. She would never try to get pregnant, but if they were ever to get pregnant on accident - like they were now - she wouldn't give it up. He knew that, that's why he had nightmares that were almost precisely this scenario, because what was he supposed to do? She wasn't the enemy here, but she also wasn't helping.

"Fitz, I think you missed the turn," Peter piped up, bringing Fitz back to reality.

"Sorry," Fitz replied as he pulled a somewhat fast U-turn to turn around for the camp entrance.

"You ok?" Peter eyed him wearily as they went off the main road into something out of a memory, a tree lined dirt road.

"No," Fitz said quietly as soon as he made are all three boys in the back had their headphones on.

"You talk to Liv?"

"Yep," Fitz said quickly as he parked the car, and watched the boys start to climb out of the back.

"You were wrong?"

Fitz nodded as he went for the door handle.

"Of course I was," Fitz said, "I kind of wish I was right, though."

Peter gave him a strange look as Tommy and Sam called for help pulling the canoes off the top of the car. Fitz waved Peter over to help them get them down, while Cam brought the tent out of the back hatch and brought It over and dropped it about where it was going. Tommy and Sam brought the canoes and the paddles right down to the edge of the lake. Before Fitz and Peter could even say anything, they were helping Cam out of his chair and sat him in the seat they'd made for him on the back of one of the canoes so he could paddle. He needed a little more than the little bench that the rest of them balanced on.

"Some things never change, huh?" Peter asked, as he and Fitz walked over to where Cam had left the tent.

"No, apparently not," Fitz replied as he leaned over and unpacked the tent.

He had invested when they first started doing these trips on a seven-man tent. The idea being that they would keep going, about twice a year, on Peter's visits so that they could keep the boys close as they grew older. Obviously, that plan had fallen apart when the boys were older – he probably should have seen that coming, but he hadn't. By now, though, him and Peter were almost professional about putting it up without the boys' help. They were always way too quick to hop in one of the canoes and pretend they were pirates, or go running off into the woods to pretend something else. Now, he assumed that they were talking or, telling Sam all they knew about how to get around parents for beer. Or something, it didn't matter.

Fitz broke open all the old seals, and they spread out the canvas of the tent, and he put all the spikes into the pockets of his cargo shorts. The hammer that went with them was in his other pocket, so once they were all set, he started to stick them into the loops to keep the tent in place. Peter came around to try and offer to help, but Fitz just ignored him. He was hammering the damn little pieces of metal into the ground faster than ever had before, they were going in like the ground was butter. Which was a little strange because it had been a little chillier than usual outside the past couple days.

"Easy, Killer," Peter said as Fitz hit one of them the wrong way, and it bend – nearly broken.

"It'll be fine with one missing," Fitz said, tossing the broken one into the brush.

"What did she tell you?" Peter asked, as Fitz stood up, wiping some sweat off of his face, "I'm asking first because I'm curious, second because if I roll the wrong way and you snap and hammer my face off like you're Thor – I want to know why."

The humor Peter usually made him laugh with was lost on him as he felt his temper flare even more than it already was. He could feel all the anger and resentment, and just plain old hate boiling in his blood as he chucked the hammer like he thought it was the boomerang and hit a tree. The bark went flying like shrapnel off of it, and he felt better – for a minute. That was before he fell to his knees and just looked up. He would find the hammer later, but for now , he was going to sit on the ground and stare up at the sky. It was almost easier looking up at the sky than anything else. There was nothing there, not birds, or clouds, nothing to block or distract you.

"Fitz.." Peter said quietly, and Fitz looked over to see him squatting down next to him, "Fitz…I can't help unless you tell me."

"You can't help," Fitz said, taking a deep breath, "No one can. Liv's pregnant – that's why she was acting all strange. That's why she's been so off. Because she's scared, and she wasn't ready to tell me that – She wants to keep it, Pete. She wants to keep this – "

"Dammit," Peter said, falling from squatting to sit right on his ass like Fitz was, in the dirt, "Well you have to talk to her – convince her."

"Convince her?"

"Talk her out of it."

"And talk her into what exactly? Do you realize what talking her out of having this baby means?" Fitz asked, his voice much cooler than he was used to it sounding, "Because I can't do that. I can't ask her to do that. Not right out. Even if I wanted to, there's no way I could manage to do that. You know Liv. I'm sure that's she's thought about it, but how can I convince her to do that? She's wanted this baby for – ever. Since they told her she couldn't."

"I thought that's why you guys adopted Bella," Peter said, and Fitz just gave him a look, "Adopting the little girl that she wanted."

"One child doesn't replace another, you know that all too well, don't you, Peter?" Fitz said, almost disgusted with himself for bringing it up.

"Low, Fitz."

"Sorry," Fitz said, lightening his tone, "But you know it doesn't work that way. When you and Georgia lost Amanda, Kenzie didn't replace her. There's no way to do something like that. It's not how it works. We weren't even thinking about adoption anymore when Olivia ran into Bella by accident, and fell in love with her. Bella, my daughter, has nothing to do with this."

"Ok," Peter said, and Fitz took a deep breath, "So what're you going to do?"

"She wants to keep it," Fitz shrugged, "I don't know what there really is to do. Because as much as I can't convince her into anything like – that. I can't sit there and watch her kill herself for this kid. I can't – I can't deal with that. I can't lay there next to her and try and pick out baby names, and decorate a nursery knowing that this baby is going to kill her, Pete. I can't handle that. I can't – I'm stuck. And I can't leave, either. I can't leave her, I couldn't deal with myself. I can't live without her, not really. I would survive, sure – but I can't not be there for any of it. Either way this thing goes, I need to be there with her. If and when it goes south, because she's going to need me, and almost as much as I'm going to need her. And if she's going to lay in a hospital room dying trying to give birth, then better believe I'm going to be there, holding her hand. Holding her."

"I don't know that it's going to get that far," Pete replied.

"You're a doctor on TV, Pete," Fitz berated him, "Not in real life."

"We have a case like this we just filmed," Pete replied, "Look into it."

"What're you saying?"

"I looked into it," Peter replied, "Odds are her heart's going to go wonky again before the baby's even viable. It will no longer be a choice. It'll be, you're both going to die, or just your baby is going to die."

"Are you serious?"

"Very," Peter replied, taking a deep breath, "They make it a happy ending in the show – but – "

"How is this supposed to help?" Fitz asked, and Peter shrugged.

"Just something to think about," Peter replied, and Fitz shuddered.

"I just don't know what to do," Fitz said, looking back up at the sky, "I feel helpless. I feel like – "

"You're going to lose the love of your life," Peter said, nodding, "It's feels like she's making this awful decision, and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Exactly," Fitz said, "Except it's my fault too, that we're in this situation. I knew she had stopped taking her irht control so that it would be neater when she got back, because she couldn't get it filled while she was away. It didn't matter – she wasn't going to go through the trouble to have it sent to Hawaii, because she's forty-two. I knew, she told me. I knew the third time we were going at it that night that something didn't feel right. I have been over this and over this since she told me. We forgot the last time. We forgot a damn little piece of latex to stop this whole situation from happening. We. And she's the one driving, and I want to give her what she wants – but I can't watch her deteriorate. I can't watch her die, I'm not strong enough to do that. I wouldn't be able to – It's my fault, too. And if she dies because of something I did - "

"You two getting old?" Cam called from the shoreline, where the boys were helping him back into the chair.

"The tent's usually pitched by now," Sam called as they came up to where their fathers were sitting, and Tommy and Sam helped their fathers back up to their feet.

"Yeah, you boys should help," Fitz said, taking a deep breath as he looked over at Peter.

He felt better, he wasn't sure why. Nothing was solved. Nothing was better. They finished pitching the tent, and then Peter went out to go fishing with Cam and Sam, who had wanted to go. Fitz had set up a fire for marshmallows and make dinner on once they caught something. Tommy had opted to stay back, and Fitz hadn't realized that Tommy had come over and sat down next to him on the log he had found. Just sitting there, stewing, and trying to come up with something that he could say when he got home. Something that he could –

He should have gotten snipped. He had wanted to, Olivia had told him that he didn't have to. That they could manage it some other way. And what if they decided that they wanted to use a surrogate? She told him not to, because if they ever did – she would want it to be _their_ child. She wasn't going to go through all of that, and it was on the table for some time, even after they adopted Bella. It was always a thought, so he didn't. Now, he couldn't believe he'd been so stupid. He should have done it. But then Liv would have – he wasn't sure what she would do.

"You ok, Dad?" Tommy asked, and Fitz nodded as he spun the stick he was holding around in his hand, "You sure?"

"I'm fine, Tommy," Fitz said, taking a deep breath, and Tommy shook his head.

"When are you and mom going to realize Cam and I aren't six anymore?" He asked, and Fitz nodded.

"When you come home and tell us you're going to be a dad?" Fitz said lightly, not meanly, but it was inherently mean, he shouldn't have said anything, "Sorry. That was – "

"I've been waiting for one of you to say something like that," Tommy replied, "Don't worry about it. I know. I should have phrased that better, I meant that you two are acting like we're still little kids that don't notice when mommy and daddy are fighting."

"We're not fighting. I can't explain to you how much it isn't a fight," Fitz said, and Tommy nodded.

"I talked to her last night," Tommy said, taking a deep breath, "A little bit. She'll tell you what's going on when she's ready. You just have to be patient with her."

"I know," Fitz said, and Tommy nodded as Fitz looked over at him, "How's your face? How many stitches?"

"Six," He said quietly, "It hurts a little – Dad?"

"What?"

"I didn't do anything to provoke him."

"I know you didn't," Fitz said, taking a breath, "And I would have called the cops last night – but he's her dad. Next time he does – "

"He didn't mean to."

"Tom, you have six stitches," Fitz said, giving him a concerned look, "You have six stitches in your face, and you're telling me that he didn't mean to sucker punch you? I've seen you fight – you didn't even try to defend yourself, did you?"

"No," Tommy shook his head, and Fitz suddenly got it, "He wasn't trying to hit me. Beck. It was Becca, he was winding up to hit her, and I jumped in front of her. That's when he got me, instead. Her mom got her up into her room and locked the door, and I left. I was scared. But what if he – What if he doesn't cool down? What if he hurts - "

"Look at me, Tommy," Fitz said, swallowing, "You did the right thing. You protected her, and you were scared. You're a kid, you're allowed to be scared. And now you've told me, and now we're going to go and get her, and bring her home with us."

"They're not going to let her – "

"If they give us trouble, we'll call the cops," Fitz said, "But she's eighteen, as long as she agrees to come there's nothing they can do."

"Ok," Tommy said, as Fitz stood up, and pulled him up to his feet too.

"C'mon," Fitz told her as he brought a bucket of water over and doused the fire, then waved the others out on the canoes in, "So much for camping out."

"Sorry," Tommy said, like it was his fault.

"Not your fault, kid," Fitz shook his head at him, "Something like that – tell them what you told me when they get in, and then come help take the tent down."

"Ok," Tommy said, as Fitz went over to start taking out the supports.

In a matter of twenty minutes after the canoes came in, their tents, coolers, and sleeping bags were back into the back of the car, and the canoes were back on top. Fitz could see the water drops falling onto the highway as he headed back into town. The whole car was silent, Peter wasn't even trying to ease up the situation by talking, or trying to assure Tommy that Becca was fine. They didn't know that yet. Fitz reached over, because the silence was killing him, and turned on the radio so that there was at least a little bit of background noise in the car. The only thing that he could do, was get them across back to town. Now they had to get to Becca as quickly as possible. He couldn't even look in the rearview mirror to see what Tommy's face looked like.

"When we get there," Fitz finally broke the silence as they passed the line into town, "Cam and Sam, you're staying in the car. Tommy, you're coming with us to the door, but you're staying outside. Pete and I will go in, have Becca pack up a bag, and then we all get back in the car, and we go home, got it?"

"I want to –" Cam spoke up.

"Cam – I appreciate it. I'm sure Tommy appreciates that you wanna help – but now is not the time," Fitz told him, and he nodded slowly.

Peter knocked on the door when the three of them had finished climbing up onto the front porch. Fitz had known that Jim's car wasn't in the driveway, which had made him breathe just a little bit easier. It was going to be easier to get Bel - Becca – out. Diane came to the door, and Fitz took a breath. He was getting ready to explain why they were there, but Pete spoke up instead.

"Diane?" Pete said, "Hi. I'm Peter. I'm Tommy's Godfather, and Fitz here's friend. Tommy's just told us what really happened last night, and we're here to pick Becca up. Fitz's got enough spare bedrooms, and they'll take care of her. Make sure she gets to school, and she gets taken care of. But we can't just leave her here."

"Jim's not a bad – "

"We can help you, too," Fitz said, as she stepped aside, and he and Peter stepped into the house.

"Jim's never hit me, he's never tried to hit Becca until last night," She replied, she seemed scared, "Hurry."

"Tommy, stay by the door," Fitz reminded him as he and Pete went down the hall of their little ranch, and knocked on Becca's door.

"Go away!"

"Becca, it's me," Fitz said, trying to sound as soft as possible, "It's Fitz, and Peter."

Her door was opened, and her bag was already packed. She mumbled something about Tommy texted her to get ready to go. Fitz didn't question it, he picked up one of her bags while Peter grabbed the other, and they brought her out of the house. There wasn't a lot of room in the car, but Cam and Tommy opted to hold her bags while she sat in the only empty space left with a seatbelt. The short ride from Becca's to their house was quiet, too. But at least they knew Becca was all right. She was in the car with them, safe and sound. He pulled into the driveway, and saw Bella, and Pete's girls playing in the front yard. Olivia and Georgia were sitting up on the front step.

"What's going on?" Olivia asked, as they all piled out of the car, Tommy and Cam with Becca's stuff.

"Beck's staying with us," Cam announced as Fitz ignored everything else, making a b-line for Olivia.

"Why?" Olivia asked, as Fitz helped her to her feet, then picked her up, carrying her inside.

"Because her dad wasn't trying to hit Tommy last night," Fitz said as he walked her to his office, shutting the door behind them, "He was trying to hit her."

"Becca's staying with us," Olivia said, and Fitz nodded as he set her down on his desk, and stood next to her.

"Becca's staying with us."

Fitz took a deep breath. He knew what he had to say, but he didn't want to. He didn't want it to go down like this. He looked at her for another few moments, then cupped her face in his hands, kissing her like he hadn't in what felt like a long time. Since before any of this nightmare had started, and everything had seemed like it was ok.

"Fitz."

"I love you," He said, stepping back, and sitting in a chair in front of the desk, "I love you, probably a little bit more than our children. Not a lot more, but a little. And you know I love them all a whole hell of a lot. I know isn't really right to say, but it's true. If I had to choose to save them or you, I'd probably drown for both. But that's not the situation we're in. I understand that you're upset, and you want to keep this baby - and I love that about you, too. As much as I hate it, I also love it. But I can't watch you die. So, there's something else I need to say. You made a decision, and it was your decision to make. I – I need a say too. So, we do this. We try to give this baby a life. But, we do this smart. If it gets to the point where it's you or this baby – it's going to be you. And it's probably not going to be your call because you're going to be unconscious. I'm going to choose you, and you don't get to hate me for it, ok? I don't care how far along the pregnancy is."

"Ok," Olivia took a breath, and Fitz sighed.

"There's one other thing," He said, standing back up, and kissing her forehead, "We're in this together. I understand you needed time to process, but you don't get to hide things about this from me anymore. If it's getting riskier I need to know. We're monitoring the shit out of you, and – if you die, I die."

"Fitz."

"Livy."

"The kids, they need you."

"They need you, too. We had this conversation a long time ago."

"Ok," Olivia replied, and he nodded.

"We're in this together," He reiterated, and she nodded.

"Ok," Fitz said, kissing the top of her head, "We're in this together."


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hey there, lovelies. Enjoy :)

American Sweetheart

Chapter Eight:

Olivia laid in bed, after possibly the best sex she and Fitz had ever had. Well, the best sex she had ever had, and that was certainly saying something. They had had quite the adventures, and the showers. She rolled over, fixing the sheets with her, and putting her arm over Fitz's chest. He was already awake, which she hadn't realized, and he had been watching her. She could tell, because he had flattened his hair down from the way it usually got all messed up in his sleep. He was cute in the morning, he had always been cute in the morning – but the way that the sun hit his chest, that was almost too much for her. It didn't worry her too much though, that he had been up for a while as he dipped down and kissed her lightly.

"Mmm, I love you so much," He whispered as he kissed her forehead as well, his hand slipping around her ribcage, just under her breasts.

"We need to tell the kids soon," She replied, and he nodded.

"We'll tell them right before we tell your parents, Bella can't keep a secret," He said, and she nodded.

"After the first trimester then," She said, and he ran his hand down her arm lightly.

"Ok," He said, "That's what – two months before your dad makes my eye match Tommy's? Only, he'll actually be aiming for me. I still can't believe that. How can you do that? As a dad hit your little girl? Never mind the fact that she's pregnant…"

"Fitz," She said, pulling herself up on her hands, one on either side of him, and kissed him sweetly, "It's ok. She's safe. She's sleeping down the hall in her own room. For now, she's on the other side of Pete and Georgia from Tommy. We can deal with setting down the rules later."

"I know," He said, taking a deep breath, "It's probably a good thing – I might have snapped the guy's neck."

"You're cute," She said, sitting on the edge of the bed, and being hit with a nice little round of nausea.

"You ok?" Fitz was right there with her in seconds.

"Just morning sickness, babe," She said, taking a deep breath.

"You want anything?" He asked as he started to massage her shoulders, pulling her hair back into a pony tail for her.

"I think I'll be ok," She said, "At least until I get some orange juice."

"Orange Juice?"

"Yeah," Olivia said as Fitz leaned over and kissed her shoulder.

"I can clear out the mini bar," He offered, "Clean out the mini fridge, and stock it up with Gatorade and Orange Juice, power bars…"

"Fitz," She stopped him, putting a hand on his chest and kissing him slowly, "I'm ok. I can get dressed, and go downstairs and get my own orange juice."

"Ok," Fitz replied in a way that made Olivia know that by the time they were going to bed at night the fridge in the corner with wine and tequila and scotch would be replaced with orange juice, Gatorade, and maybe some applesauce.

"I have an appointment on Tuesday, I called the doctor last night," She told him, and he nodded.

"What time?" He asked, slipping out of bed as he walked over towards her.

"Three," She said, checking him out for a second.

"I'll pick you up," He said, stretching, and her eyes gave her away – he chuckled, "You're funny."

"How am I funny?" She asked, as he walked over into her arms.

"The way you look at me still," He reminded her as he backed her into their bathroom, "It's funny. Way worse than when I pick Bella up from dance."

"You don't show up like this to pick her up," Olivia said, as Fitz sat her down on the edgee of the tub, and ran the water for her.

"True," He said, and she rolled her eyes.

"Vultures," She commented on the side, and he chuckled.

"Maybe I should take up skeet shooting," Fitz chuckled as he grabbed the bottle of bubble bath from the corner.

"Starting the day with a bath?" She smirked, and Fitz shut the water off, almost lazily.

"I thought it would be nice," He replied, stepping into the water with her, and settling her on his lap under the water, "No funny business though."

"Well, that's first," She said, as his arms snaked around her, and he kissed the side of her neck.

"Moderation, to keep your strength up."

"Babe, I doubt my heart even realizes that I'm pregnant," She replied, leaning up and kissing his jaw, "We have a little while until we have to be _that_ careful."

Fitz raised his eyebrows a little as she wrapped her arms around him as best as she could. Then she slipped down, letting the water and the soap from the bubble bath come up to her shoulder as she pressed her face against his chest. He started to stroke her cheek lightly, like it would have been ok with him to stay that way for hours. She must have dozed off after a few minutes, because when she opened her eyes again, he had stopped. She was careful not to shift too much as she looked up at him, and saw him looking pensively off at the wall - clearly in another place all together. She murmured quietly to break his focus, kissing his chest as her hand went down to play with his erection.

"What're you doing?" He asked, leaning back just a little bit more into the porcelain of the tub.

"It's not your body we need to go easy on," She replied, and he chuckled as he ran his hand down her back and onto her ass.

"Livy..."

"I'm just saying, we have a small window of time before any sort of sex will be off the table."

"I'm sure we'll get creative," He replied lightly, as she ran her hand back up his chest, "But right now, we need to get some food in you. An omelet and some orange juice perhaps. And your vitamins..."

"Fine," She conceded as she went to stand up.

Fitz grabbed the hand held shower as he set the tub to drain, rinsing them both of bubbles and their residue. He kissed her shoulder, standing behind her, making sure they were both clean as he used the excuse to run his hands all over her - teasing her for later. She put her hands back up to her stomach, like she could see it already swollen, and he looked away. He covered his tracks by using that exact moment to let go of her and shut the water off, put the hand held back. But she noticed. She hadn't expected him to be all ok with it overnight, but she also wasn't going to tell herself it didn't hurt.

"Look who's late for breakfast," Peter teased as they walked into the kitchen. Fitz's hand was tight around her's, "I assume you kids kissed and made up."

"Couple times," Fitz teased back as he let go of her hand and walked over to the range top to make good on his breakfast promise.

"Where are the kids?" Olivia asked as she sat down at the table, where Georgia and Peter were still sitting.

"We made sure everyone ate - then the boys and Becca headed to the beach to hang out for a while," Peter informed them, "And the girls have Bella out back playing in the yard."

"We should hire them as babysitters," Fitz cracked.

"We come with a pretty steep fee if we're talking more than once a visit."

"You guys should fly out to LA for Pete's premiere at the end of the month," Georgia said, "Leave the kids for the weekend and come have some fun. Red carpets, the whole nine yards. Pete and I find if you occasionally give them a picture of you two happy together, they leave the kids alone more."

"You saw it to?" Olivia said and Georgia nodded.

"At least they haven't picked up on tommy and Becca," She pointed out.

"Not yet," Fitz said, flipping Olivia's omelet in the pan, "And hopefully, they won't."

"Well, when she's showing its going to be hard to keep them away," Olivia said, taking a deep breath, "Particularly when we're both showing."

"True," Georgia said, and Olivia watched as Fit turned around, surprised Georgia knew, "When you leave without saying goodbye in the morning after an argument, wives get upset. Then, they tell the closest friend they can find all about it."

Fitz nodded understandingly as he delivered her an egg-white omelet and a tall glass of orange juice, then went to the cabinet for his favorite cereal - which despite her protests on multiple occasions, he preferred. Unless he was making the kids pancakes on Saturday mornings, it was cereal and milk just about every morning. For a while she had offered to make him something else, anything he wanted. She even offered once to make him one of those ridiculous Eggo sandwiches he used to eat in the morning, but he had just laughed.

"So tonight's a dinner out," Fitz said, remembering their usual schedule for visits, "And tomorrow you're back to New York."

"The best part is we don't even need to call Maya to babysit," Peter joked, "Like we used to have to. The older kids are more than capable of watching Bella."

"Mmm, well Maya's in California now," Olivia said, "Kyle got a job in Sacramento."

"Course he did," Georgia said, and Olivia took a breath, deeper than her usual pause, "We always knew Kyle would want to go back to the west coast."

"Mmm," Olivia said, as Bella came running into the kitchen – covered in mud – followed closely by a much cleaner duo of Kenzie and Lyla.

"We told her not to jump into it," Kenzie tried to explain.

"We tried to keep her away from it," Lyla backed her sister up as Bella beamed, her dress covered and caked in mud.

"It's ok," Olivia said, getting up and taking Bella by the hand, "Little kids get muddy sometimes."

"I'll get it," Fitz went to get up, but Olivia shooed him back into his seat.

"C'mon, sweetheart," Olivia eased Bella out of the room, and off into the bathroom.

"Why do I have to take a tub?" Bella asked, "I don't until nighttime."

"Because you're all muddy," Olivia told her, tossing one of her bath toys into the water as it ran, "We have to clean you up. And your brothers are going to watch you tonight, so you were going to get an early one anyway."

"Ok," Bella sighed, as Olivia peeled the mud-soaked princess dress she had apparently picked out herself off of her.

It didn't take too long to get Bella in the water, and clean. She grabbed a towel from the hallway closet, and came back in to Bella dumping bowls full of water over her head. At least since she was in the water she was fine, she wasn't shrieking about how her mean mom was making her take a bath. She held the towel up, knowing that she shouldn't be lifting a three year old out of the tub. Bella, perfectly, climbed out of the tub herself and walked into the towel. She wrapped it around her little girl, and sat down on the closed toilet, pulling her into her lap to dry her off as the water drained from the tub.

"How do we feel about Sleeping Beauty?" Fitz asked as he walked in with a new, clean princess dress to replace the Snow White one that she had just dirtied.

"Ariel," Bella requested, and Fitz pouted as he sat down on the floor.

"Ariel's a swim suit," Fitz tried to reason with her.

"Ok," Bella said as Fitz handed her the dress and a new pair of underwear for Bella.

"Dad?!"

Evidently Tommy, Cam, and the rest of them were home.

"Duty calls," He said, pushing himself up from the floor and kissing both girls' heads as he headed out to the hallway.

"I wanna go," Bella squirmed out of Olivia's arms.

"Ok, but you have to get dressed first," Olivia told her, slipping her clothes up her legs and over her head before opening the door to release her.

She went running down the hall, and into Becca's leg. She started asking Becca to pick her up, and Tommy snatched her right up - carrying her back towards the living room upside down until she watched as he placed her down on the couch. She laughed and yelled and squealed as she played with the older kids. Which was pretty much the story of their day, when they brought all the kids to see the town fair that was happening downtown. The one good thing about having the kids so far apart was that Tommy and Cam were willing to do things when Bella was involved that normal eighteen year olds would refuse to go to with their parents. Like town fairs, and the circus when it came, and the littler areas of Disney when they brought them.

It wasn't long before Olivia was going down the stairs to meet up with everyone to go out to dinner. The adults that was. It was a weird thing they did when they got the chance to go out with Peter and Georgia they dressed up and went to the fanciest place that they could drive to in an hour from wherever they were. The men wore suits, the women wore evening dresses - it was fun, and it was a great excuse for Fitz to wear a suit. He hardly had an excuse to wear one more than a couple times month - and even that didn't seem enough for her. So, as she hit the bottom step she fixed the spaghetti strap on her white gown, and looked into the foyer where Fitz was waiting for her.

"You look fantastic," Fitz said, taking her hand and guiding her towards the door, Peter and Georgia following behind them.

"The Ferrari?" Peter requested as they walked over towards the driveway.

"It's barely got a back seat," Fitz warned, "I'm going to have to figure something else out soon. Bella's booster seat and Bella are just fitting now. I was thinking Liv's new one."

"My new one?" She asked, and he nodded as he hit the remote on his keys that opened the garage door.

"I missed you," He replied simply, "I don't sleep well when you're not here, so -"

Olivia had seen it, a car hidden in the back of the garage, but it had been covered. Kept from actual sight. She had assumed that he was fixing up an old one for a neighbor, or for the car shop up the street. He did that sometimes when he was bored. But as he walked her back to it, and pulled off the tarp, she realized that usually he kept those ones in the driveway.

"You ready?" He asked, "I figured you needed a new one, and I had some time on my hands to sneak down here at night..."

He pulled the tarp off the car like it was just a sheet, and dropped it onto the concrete floor. The car that had been covered by it was beautiful, shiny white, and looked great. She didn't know half the stuff about cars that he did, but when he insisted on getting her new ones - he usually built them - and this one looked top of the line. She knew that much because of the look on Peter and Fitz's faces. She didn't care about cars, and models, and engines but Fitz did. And Fitz liked spoiling her with them when her car had reached a certain point. The one she had been driving was, admittedly, getting a little old.

"Thank you," Olivia smiled as he handed her the key.

"You like it?"

"I do."

"You wanna drive?" He asked and she nodded, "It's all yours."

There wasn't much of an issue getting to the restaurant with Fitz as the navigator, but she was probably going to have him drive home. She liked letting him drive, it was like driving in the passengers side of a teenage boy driver. A teenage boy with a death wish, that actually knew how to drive that fast without crashing and without getting in trouble. There was a little bit of a thrill with him, just like there always was. The ride was smooth for her, and she felt safe driving it – that was really her only concerns when it came to cars, so she was fairly pleased by the time she pulled into the parking lot.

"Well, I've got to say, Fitz," Peter said, "I thought I was going to get away scot free on this trip. Every time we meet up you show me up. This time when we got here you and Liv were doing whatever it is closest to fighting that you do – and now you're late to breakfast, your by each other's side all day, and you built her a new car while she was away. Dammit, Fitz. You're making me look bad."

"I like to spoil her," Fitz said, draping his arm around her shoulders, "She deserves to be spoiled. And it's not easy to find ways to do it that she'll allow. Cars, she accepts – don't know why…"

"Because you build them yourself, and it's something you're passionate about," Olivia filled him in, "You love cars, and you love me. It's cute when you put in the effort to make me something that you love. I don't actually care what kind of car it is, or what sort of engine you've jammed under the hood. It's that when I'm driving around in it, and I remember that my husband built it for me, because he loves me."

"I can't build cars," Peter excused himself, looking to Georgia for approval, "I could get you something else if you want."

Fitz laughed as he let his hand fall to the small of Olivia's back.

"I didn't know that's why you allowed cars, and almost nothing else," He said, and Olivia shrugged.

"I don't need lavish amounts of jewelry, or a house the size of Rhode Island, or anything crazy I know you would get me if I let you," She said, "A nice car, ok. What's the harm?"

"Well," Fitz sighed as he opened the restaurant door for her, "You're going to have a private doctor for the next nine or so months."

"We'll talk about it," She said, and he shook his head as the host seated them.

"No, we won't," He replied, quietly.

She sighed, and nodded – if it made him feel better to hire a private doctor to make sure she was ok – what was she really going to say to protest?

"Well, I'm glad you two are happier now," Peter said as they sat down in their booth, the couples beside each other, so that Olivia was across from Georgia, "Because I didn't know how I was going to tell you something like this when you and Liv were rocky – "

"What d'you mean, Pete?" Fitz asked, and Peter gave a quick glance over at Georgia as their bottle of wine was delivered, and Fitz poured three glasses as the waitress put a water in front of Olivia.

"It's your dad, Fitz," Peter said, "He's sick. Cancer, it's pretty bad. He's in the hospital up in Boston half the time. It's in his lung, but it's spreading."

"I didn't know you still talked to him," Fitz said, and Olivia reached over and put her hand on his back.

"I don't," He replied, "Mellie told me when we saw her last week."

"Well, I don't see how something like that would effect me," Fitz said, and Olivia watched as he drained his glass.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Hello, lovelies. When you're done enjoying this one, I just started a new one that I think you guys'll like if you liked Redeemed over the summer. It's called The King Stands Alone, so go check it out if you haven't once you're done reading this one. As always, for your enjoyment:

American Sweetheart

Chapter Nine:

Fitz wasn't sure how he got through the rest of dinner, but before he knew it he was walking, slightly stumbling, back into the house. Olivia had driven home, he remembered that much because he couldn't keep his eyes off of her - the way the lights flashed over her face. He looked behind him to make sure Olivia, Pete, and Georgia were coming in, too. He wasn't entirely sure why Peter had felt the need to tell him that his father was sick. He had cut him out of his life years ago, before the boys were born. He had no room for that racist, classist mother fucking jackass in his life. He had vowed that he'd never let the man around Liv, his children, or himself ever again if he could manage it. And he could. He had paid him off to go away once, and that was that. It had been eighteen years since he had even seen the man, and he was better for it.

"Sorry about that, Liv," Peter was whispering behind him, as he slipped his shoes off before the stairs.

"It's ok, you did the right thing," Olivia's voice whispered back, "He'll be ok - don't worry about it."

Fitz almost spoke up, but then really couldn't be bothered to as he sat down on the step. He had to go get orange juice from the fridge to put upstairs for Liv in the morning. The head-rush he got when he stood back up told him he was drunk, drunker than he had been in a very long time. He shivered slightly, waited a second, then kept walking towards the kitchen. He heard Olivia trying to get Peter and Georgia to go upstairs, to go get some rest. Then, as he opened up the fridge and grabbed the bottle, he heard her shoes against the tile.

"Babe?" She asked, like she was trying to politely ask what the hell he was doing.

"Just getting you orange juice for the morning," He said slowly, and she smiled as he walked over, wrapping his free arm around her, "Shall we take the lift? I don't think I wanna try the stairs."

"Sure," Olivia said, and he felt her hand flash over his forehead.

"Wha-"

"Your hair was stuck to your forehead," Olivia told him lightly as she brought him over to Cam's lift.

"I didn't do anything stupid tonight, right?" He checked, and Olivia shook her head.

"Maybe ordering that third bottle of wine and drinking all of it yourself - but no. You didn't do anything really stupid," Olivia told him and he kissed the edge of her forehead.

"I love you," He said softly, and she smiled again.

"You're lucky you're cute when you're drunk," Olivia replied, and he nodded as she took his hand and led him to their bedroom.

"The best thing I ever did was marry you," He said as he sat down on the bed, orange juice still in hand.

"You're starting to slur a little bit," She told him, walking over and taking the juice, putting it into the fridge herself.

"I wanted to put that in there for you -"

"You brought it up, close enough," Olivia assured him, and he laid back on the bed - letting his eyes close a for a minute.

When he opened them Olivia had changed into her little lacy pajama set, and curled up with him. Her head was on his chest, which was when he realized that he was still wearing his suit. He had pulled out his bow tie, and the first few buttons were undone, but his jacket was still on.

"Mm, I should change," He said lightly, and Olivia looked up at him and shook her head.

"I like it," She said, crawling up and kissing him softly, on the lips, "We haven't fallen asleep and in fancy clothes in a long time."

"You changed," He accused.

"Yeah, but dresses like that are really uncomfortable to sleep in," She said, and he raised his eyebrows.

"I'll strip for you," He offered, and Olivia smiled, "I'll leave the shirt and my boxers if you want."

"I'd like to see you get up right now," She teased him, falling into a giggle.

He rolled out of bed, right onto the ground, but caught himself before he really fell flat. He got himself up on his knees as soon as it occurred to him that rolling out of Livy's arms was probably a little bit startling. He looked over and made eye contact with her for a second before getting up. He stood up, wobbling slightly as he caught his balance.

"Babe -"

"I'm ok," He promised, shrugging his jacket off, and just letting it fall to the floor behind him.

"Oh, look at you," Olivia commented as he forgot his promise to keep the shirt, and he stretched his arms as he let that fall off too, "C'mere."

"Oh, you wanna help?" He teased her.

"I just don't want you to hurt yourself," She replied as he stepped closer to the bed and she undid his belt, got the button and the zipper for him.

"Thanks," He body surfed onto the bed as he stepped out of his pants, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Olivia said as she snuggled up to him - one of his most favorite things in the world.

"I really don't want you to die," He whispered, his lips buried somewhere between her hairline and and her ear.

"I'll try not to," She replied, kissing his chest with just enough pressure so that he could feel it.

"Becca's pregnant, and her dad tried to beat the shit out of her," Fitz said, it still made absolutely no sense to him, "I just don't get it. If anyone laid a finger on Bella I'd - I wouldn't be having and nice chat with them and threatening to call the cops next time. I wouldn't even let the stupid - and my dad's gonna die. I don't even know why Pete told me, but the old bastard can't even do anything the way he's supposed to, right?"

"Baby..."

"No. He's a jackass that I've prayed a million times would die without notifying me," Fitz said, and took a deep breath, "I don't care. I don't want to know where he is or how he's doing. I was hoping I could just see his obituary one day or have a lawyer call me up one morning and just tell me that he's gone."

"Baby, it's ok to care," Olivia shuffled up, leaning against the headboard, then wiped away what must've been tears from his face, "He's what he is, but he's still your dad. And it's ok to be upset."

"Damn motherfucker never gave a shit about me," Fitz said, as he realized Olivia was pressing his face against her, letting him cry into her breast, "He's dirt. He's never cared about anyone."

"Shhh," Olivia hushed him as she stroked his hair, he might have been mumbling for a while, "It's ok. Sleep, baby. Rest."

Fitz woke up the next morning with a headache, and a remedy waiting on the nightstand. Olivia must've set it up for him and then crawled back into bed, because she was still all wrapped up lying next to him. He reached over and downed the water and aspirin she had paid out for him before turning slightly and kissing the top of her head. Then, he turned completely on his side and pulled her closer to him.

"G'Morning," She mumbled into his chest as he pulled the covers back up around them again.

"How're you feeling this morning?" He asked, burying his nose in her hair.

"Good," Olivia replied as she reached up and stroked the side of his head, "How's your head?"

"It's been better," He shrugged as he kissed her softly, "I love you."

"I know," She smiled up at him.

"Pete and Georgia…"

"Left earlier," Olivia told him, "I let you sleep. Pete said he'd call you when they landed, or something."

"Whatever," He said, and Olivia took a deep breath.

"You should go see him," Olivia said, sitting up, and pulling him up to sit up, too.

"I haven't seen him in almost twenty years," Fitz said, taking a deep breath as he got up, "What's it going to matter if now I just know that I'm never going to run into him on the street."

"Fitz," Olivia said softly, and he turned towards her.

"What?" He asked, taking a deep breath, "He's not a part of my life."

"There's a lot of anger that's not going to have any sort of closure – "

"Livy," He said, putting his arms around her as she was heading towards the shower, "I don't want to talk to him. Do you remember all the shit he's done?"

"Twenty years ago," Olivia replied, "Twenty years ago he – "

"He essentially said that you weren't good enough to marry into his family because of the color of your skin," Fitz said, trying to keep his tone even, "Remember that? That was when I cut him out."

"It was a long time ago," Olivia swallowed.

"Why are you trying to defend him?" Fitz asked, and Olivia pressed her forehead into his shoulder.

"I'm not," She looked up at him, "I don't care about him. I care about you, and what happens when all this anger and resentment you have for him is never resolved. What happens to my husband when his father dies, and he still hates him. That's what I'm worried about. I remember everything, don't worry. I remember all the hell that him and that girl put us through. I remember that – perfectly. But I also remember how much effect he has on you. Like when you were crying last night?"

"I was drunk, Livy," He said, as if it were an excuse, "There's a lot going on lately. I'm a little overwhelmed."

"Good, because I am too," Olivia replied, "But I didm't just hear that my estranged parent was dying."

"Liv, can you just drop this, please?" He asked.

"Sure," She said, going up on her tiptoes as she kissed him, "I just don't want this to still be a discussion when we're sixty, babe."

Those words seemed to echo a bit in his head as he went to work. It was already awkward, because they were going back into their routine. Olivia took Bella to her mother's to be watched, and whoever was done earlier was picking her up. The boys and Becca had school, and would be home around five, after basketball practice, and after Tommy spent some of his time working on his art. Becca – he wasn't sure when she would be home, or what her usual routine was, but he assumed that Tommy would tell her that dinner was on the table no later than five-thirty. Cooked by whoever had gotten home earlier than the other one.

"Sir," Lauren said, and Fitz looked up from the contracts he was looking at, "Peter's on the phone."

"Agh," Fitz sighed, "Tell him I'm in a meeting, and I'll call him back later."

"Sir?"

"Lauren."

"Ok."

Except Fitz didn't call him back, and he didn't call him back the next day, either. He knew that it wasn't Peter's fault – he was just the messenger. How was he supposed to – knowing what he did – not tell Fitz what was going on? Fitz wondered vaguely whether his mom knew, but quickly decided that it didn't matter. She was happy now, safe, married, and going on ridiculous vacations and cruises, being the sort of grandmother that simply appeared with lavish presents from faraway places. Which, was just fine with him, and only seemed to make her happier, which was even better. He had forgiven her, and realized how little she knew about Big Gerry. Big Gerry, on the other hand, he just couldn't wrap his head around going to see. What did that say about him? A man who hated everything Fitz had decided was his life.

"Babe?" Olivia was surprised when he showed up at her work.

Well, he hadn't quite shown up at her work. He was leaning on the hood of his car waiting for her when she came out.

"Tommy's getting Bella, right?" He asked, and Olivia nodded.

"I thought we were meeting at the doc," She said, and Fitz shook his head.

"I missed the first appointment, I'm driving you to the second," He replied, as she walked up close enough for him to wrap an arm around her.

"You haven't picked me up from work in a long time," She said, kissing his cheek, "Sexy, when you lean on the Ferrari like that."

"You ready to go?" He asked, kissing her temple as he walked her around the car to open up the door for her.

"Yeah," She said softly.

"I was thinking that we could sneak out a little after," Fitz said, taking a breath, "Cam said he'd watch Bella tonight, and I thought we could use some alone time."

"Can we have a stay-date?" Olivia asked, and he chuckled.

"I don't think that's quite possible with a three year old," Fitz said, "I don't think she'll understand the concept."

"Right," She sighed as she ducked into the car, "How was work?"

"Ok," He replied, as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"Did you get a chance to – "

"No," Fitz said, letting his head fall back on his headrest, "I didn't call. I'm not going to call. Please, stop asking me to call."

"Fitz," Olivia said, reaching across for his hand, which he very gladly gave to her.

"Livy, I give you whatever the hell you want," He said, taking a deep breath, "I give you everything that you want, ok? A house, a family, a car, a ride to work in the morning when you don't feel like driving, you ask me to jump, and I pull out the damn trampoline. And I don't mind most of the time, because I love you. You're patient with me, and I can. It's not difficult for me – I don't mind doing whatever and being whatever you want. I love it, I love the look on your face when I'm doing it. And you pretty much do the same for me. But you can't ask me to – I'm not ready. I'm not ready to deal with him, and I don't think I ever will be. If that ends up as baggage, then – I didn't come with a whole lot. What I'm saying is – he's my father, and if I'm not ready – you have to deal with it. Stop pushing me on this, please, Livy?"

"Ok," She said, as he ran his thumb across the back of her hand, "I love you. It's not that I don't want to deal with you dealing with it years down the road, because I'll do it without complaining. I just think it's going to be harder for you when you can't get on a plane and go confront him about things. Your father is – many things, but if you at least go up there – he might have at least a little bit of an explanation for some of the things that have been nawing at you."

"Livy," He said, as he pulled into the doctor's parking lot, "Please. I'm saying please. If I want to talk about it, I will. If I want to see him, I'll fly up there. But I don't."

"I don't want you to feel like you can't," Olivia replied, taking a breath, "You get to be upset about this, Fitz. You get to be sad that you're dad's dying. I won't take offense. He's a son of a bitch, but he's still your dad."

"I know, thank you," Fitz said, raising her hand to his lips, and kissing the back of her hand.

"I just don't want to see you hurt by him anymore than you already are," Olivia said, as they got out of the car, "I worry about you, babe."

"And I appreciate it," Fitz said as he wrapped his arm around her waist, "Now let's go let the doctors check up on you, ok? And see who they can think of as a private doctor who can come check in on you a couple times a week."

"A couple times a week?"

"Liv," He said, almost warningly/

"Fitz – I'm going to have to be able to breath."

"I think we can find someone to regulate that for you," He replied, and she rolled her eyes, "I just want to be sure that when I'm listening to your heart beat at night I'm not actually worried that it's just going to stop on me, ok? Just somebody to come by the house and check your blood pressure, and look for warning signs. Someone who knows what they're doing."

"Fine."


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: So, my intent was to finish this sometime on Thursday, but obviously that didn't happen – and I had a history paper to at least start. But, without further ado, here it is. Enjoy :)

American Sweetheart

Chapter Ten:

"Baby?" Olivia asked as they were walking out of the doctor's office.

She had made the mistake of offering him her hand as she said it, so in response he simply laced his fingers in with hers. She didn't bother to say anything else, so she just let it go. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting – maybe for him to even look at the screen, or acknowledge the baby in his questions, or something. He hadn't before they walked in, but she thought maybe he would budge a little once he could hear the heartbeat, and saw that baby on the monitor that he would start to acknowledge its existence. But she had been wrong, because he wouldn't even look at the monitor. He stood by her side, held her hand, and paid attention. He asked questions, but they were all related to her health – how he could help make sure that she was ok. How he could know if something was wrong, what warning signs to look for, and when he should start looking more closely for them.

He didn't seem to hear that the baby was a good size, small, which was a good sign. Which would help her odds at carrying to term. He heard that her heart was strong, and no immediate cause for concern. He heard that they didn't really need to worry for right now, but as they felt it was needed some simple adjustments would work for a while. Like sex in the morning so she wasn't already tired, and that up until about the middle of the second trimester would be where problems would show up, and that there was a doctor in Boston that specialized in her sort of high-risk pregnancy, and that they would have him consulting on the case.

"What're you thinking about?" Olivia asked him as they split at the car, her climbing into the passenger's seat.

"I'm thinking about what kind of money that doctor's going to want to come down for a few months," Fitz said, and Olivia raised an eyebrow, "If we're going to do this, I want the best we can find. I think I'll call his office sometime this week…Maybe we can commute to him, and the other way around until it starts being a problem…"

"Right," Olivia said, as Fitz started to drive, and she looked down at the photos from the ultrasound, "Listen, maybe we should tell the kids tonight, and my parents tomorrow."

"We can if you want," Fitz said, squeezing her hand over the center console.

"I just don't want them to worry," Olivia replied, and Fitz nodded, "If I'm going to doctor's appointments, seeing specialists, and…I don't want them to think I'm sick or something."

"Ok," Fitz said, as he got onto the highway, "I think I'll just drive you to work in the morning, if that's ok. Rather than going to get your car now."

"Fine," Olivia said, taking a deep breath, and Fitz glanced over at her.

"Is everything ok?" He asked carefully, and Olivia didn't exactly know how to respond.

He had done something similar when they found out about the boys – but that was a lot different. At first he was excited. At first, with the first appointments, and the first couple weeks she thought that maybe he was popping some sort of pill. He had been so excited that she had thought that he might just starting bouncing off the walls. She understood that they were older now, already had three kids, and the circumstances of it were less than ideal – but how was it that he couldn't even look at the monitor? He wasn't even curious. There was no moment when he looked at the monitor and realized that it was his child, too. Olivia understood that he was scared, but it frustrated her – to not even acknowledge it like he was, was something completely different. Not something that she had expected at all.

Fitz pulled back into the driveway to two barefooted kids running around the front yard, and Olivia smiled. Cameron would be inside, judging by the time, panicking thinking that he would have to figure out on his own. It was shame, because she could see, the way that Tommy played and cared for Bella that he would be a great father, if he was given the time to grow up. She had no doubts that he would be there for this baby, his and Becca's baby – but it wasn't the same deal. He didn't have his life together, he didn't even really have a plan. And he shouldn't have to – but he did. He had to start getting himself together.

"Where were you two off to?" Tommy asked, picking Bella up and holding her upside down, Bella's favorite, as Olivia and Fitz walked across the lawn.

"Why don't you bring Bella inside," Fitz said, putting an arm across Olivia's back, "We'll talk about it while we wait for the Thai to get here."

"Thai?" Tommy checked, and Fitz nodded as he pulled out his cell phone, and offered it to him.

"Order whatever you kids want, Pad Thai for your mom and me to split," Fitz said, as Tommy let Bella down, and she climbed onto Fitz's leg, "Where's Becca?"

"She had a trip with her club at school," Tommy replied, scratching above his eye, "She'll be back later, like ten? They went into the city for an art show."

Olivia watched as Fitz leaned down and scooped her up. Once Tommy was done, Bella decided that it was her turn to talk. She started rattling off about dance class, and what she did with Grandma, that before they knew it they were all sitting around the table eating, and Olivia hadn't really figured out how she was going to tell them. She kept looking up from her plate, over at Fitz – who seemed to want her to be the one to speak up. She thought that this would probably be the case, so she took a deep breath as they were all finishing up.

"Hey, guys," Fitz stopped Tommy and Cam from leaving the table as he walked over to Olivia's end, and pulled up a seat next to her, "Can we have a chat really quick?"

"Sure," Cam said, exchanging looks with Tommy.

"Yeah, what's up, dad?" Tommy asked, as Bella just sort of looked on.

"C'mere," Fitz said, and Olivia was thankful – both of them knew she wouldn't really get it until they explained it more later – as he pulled her onto his lap.

"I've been to a few doctor's appointments lately, and been sort of sketchy," Olivia said, and both boys' ears perked up, "So, I wanted to tell you all as soon as we knew as much as we were going to for a while. Because, if all goes as planned you're all going to have a new brother or sister in April."

"What?" Tommy said, jaw near to the floor.

"You guys are old," Cam reminded them.

"Easy," Fitz said, letting Bella down, "Honey, why don't you go and play with your horses in the other room, ok?"

"Ok," Bella smiled, and left the room.

"So this is why you didn't kill Tommy," Cam commented, as soon as his sister was out of the room.

"Your dad didn't know then," Olivia replied, taking a deep breath, "We didn't 'kill' him because he's going to have a hard enough time already."

"I thought you guys couldn't have any more," Tommy said, and Fitz gave Olivia a quick glance that meant he could field this one, "I thought mom was too weak to – "

"Your mom's condition doesn't stop her from becoming pregnant," Fitz said, and both boys just sort of looked at each other.

"We don't need to hear more than that," Cam said, and Fitz nodded.

"You weren't gonna get it," He said, and then took a deep breath.

"But what happens now?" Tommy asked.

"Well, right now the baby's small, little," Olivia said, and Tommy nodded, "So, we're going to see how it goes. But the fact that the baby is in normal development with a small size, improves the odds that everything could be ok."

"Alright," Cam said, "And what if it's not?"

"Your mom and I have discussed it – it's not for you two to worry about," Fitz said as he put his had on the center of her back.

"Ok," Cam said, taking a deep breath, "Can I go now?"

"Yeah, make sure you're getting your homework done," Olivia told him, as he started to leave the kitchen, "Just because you're a senior doesn't mean you get to slack off on your homework."

"Yes, ma'am," Cam said, mostly over his shoulder as he rolled on out of the room.

"You ok, Tom?" Fitz asked, and Tommy nodded slightly.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go watch TV with Bells," He said, getting up from the table, and Fitz turned to her.

"That could have gone a little better," Olivia said, and Fitz kissed the side of her head.

"Just give 'em time, Mia Vita," He whispered, pulling her over into his lap as he kissed her head again as she set it against his shoulder.

"You're pretty good," Olivia commented, and could have easily predicted the smirk that took over one side of his face.

"I know," He teased her.

"What about some ice cream and a movie tonight?" Olivia asked, and Fitz smiled as he leaned in and kissed her cheek.

"You mean actually have a minute to curl up with my wife and watch some ridiculous romantic comedy while our kids sleep?" He asked, stroking the back of her hair the way that made it feel like a full body massage, "We've never been that sort of couple, with time to do stuff like that."

"Well, when we did have the time to do it, we were too busy jumping each other every five minutes," She pointed out, "Ot going to parties - because the last time we had time, really, was when I was still in college."

"Very true," Fitz replied as she got up out of his lap, and then got up himself, "Should I be running to red-box?"

"Or we could just find something from the cabinet," She proposed, and Fitz nodded, taking her hand as he led her into the living room.

"Bells," Olivia told her, "Say goodnight to your brothers, because it's just about time for your bath, then it's bedtime."

"Ok," Bella replied, slightly exasperated.

While Fitz rummaged through the old cabinet of movies for something to watch, Olivia watched Bella hug both of her brothers goodnight. Cam even promised her that he would pick her up from Grandmas early the next day, and spend some extra time with her. Then she gave Fitz a quick look before whisking Bella off to get her ready for bed. She got Bella upstairs and into the tub without too much of an issue. By the time she had dried her off, and thrown some pajamas on her, they met Fitz in Bella's room. He was waiting in her rocking chair with her favorite book, and Bella crawled right up into his lap.

"There's my princess," Fitz kissed the top of her head as Olivia took a seat on another chair - this one relatively child sized.

"I love you, Daddy," Bella said as she nuzzled her little face into her father's shoulder.

"I love you too, sweetheart," He told her as he went to open the book.

Olivia smiled as she sat down on the ground next to Bella's bed to listen while Fitz read to her. There was a certain charm that Fitz had, particularly when matched up with a small child. When the boys were little, Peter and Stephen had mocked him mercilessly about running for some kind of office. Peter even went so far as to offer to set up his campaign. Then, of course, the joke went into what kind of office he would run for. That was about where the conversations ended, Fitz mumbling something about never wanting to be in office for anything. Those hadn't come up in a while, and she hadn't seen it then - but she could see it now. He had, since he had turned his life around when they were kids, had been great with kids. Once he had realized that Maya wasn't going to try and tie him to a chair and put gross things in the DVD player. All those thing he had seen kids do in movies, stuff like that.

"Liv?"

Fitz brought her out of her musings as he stood up from the rocker, sleeping Bella in his arms. She got herself up in time to turn down the sheets so Fitz could lay her right down and tuck her in. She stirred a little bit as they brought the covers up around her, and each kissed her forehead goodnight.

"Mommy, why're you having a new baby?" Bella asked sleepily, and Olivia gave her a smile.

"So you can be a big sister - a great big sister," Olivia told her, "Like how you have great big brothers."

Bella nodded lightly, as she and Fitz backed slowly out of the room. Fitz wrapped his hand around hers as he walked her back towards their room. Olivia dropped his hand, and wrapped her arm around his back and smiled as he leaned into her, just enough so that she could feel his weight against her. She turned over and hugged him as he walked her into their bedroom.

"What's going on with you?" He asked, picking her up and just carrying her the rest of the way to the bed, where he could put her down.

"I don't know," Olivia replied as Fitz laid down next to her, and she pulled herself over to his side, "Just - I was hoping the kids would have a better reaction."

"They'll come around," Fitz told her as he turned the television on, and flipped it over to the movie, "Give 'em a little bit of time for it to sink in. They're comfortable the way it is now. It won't be a big problem for them in a couple days, they'll get used to the idea. It took me a little while to get used to it, too."

"Ok," Olivia said, setting her head onto his chest, "God, these hormones."

"What about them?" He smirked as she looked up at him.

"They're making me want you," She said, mostly into his shirt.

"Well, why don't we snuggle while we watch the movie," He chuckled, turning on his side so that she could pull herself up against him, "And then we can let your hormones become my best friend again."

"I love you, baby," She said as she leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"Good," He said, propping himself up on more pillows as he leaned in and kissed her again, "Now do you want to watch this movie, or not?"

"I guess," She sighed, allowing him to drape his arm around her as the big spoon – he kissed the side of her neck.

She shivered a little bit.

"Really?" He chuckled as he kissed her again, "That much, huh? Well, I'd hate to torture you through a whole movie…"

"I'm ok for a movie," She replied, pulling his hand over and putting it on her stomach.

As soon as she let go of it, he let it shift over onto her hip. She tried not to seem too upset about it, and she took a deep breath as the opening credits finished. There wasn't much to do other than what he had just said to do with the kids. Give him some time, and hopefully, he would be able to come around. He was still getting used to the idea, and he was more concerned about her than he was about the baby. That much was clear, and she wasn't about to fault him for it. How could she? It made all the sense in the world. He was comfortable too, and the thing that was threatening his happy life just happened to be something that he was supposed to already be in love with. He would be though, when the time came, because she knew him well enough to know that when that baby was in his arms – he would be a goner, again.


End file.
